“And that makes three. Just one more, and then…”
Smolder shuddered as she stood in line to Guidance Counsellor Starlight’s office, her heart feeling a million miles away from where her mind currently stood. The thumping heart, wavy inner lips, the restless tail – all pointed to an undeniable fact: She was nervous and scared again.
Even after her heart-to-heart private talk with Gallus.
Even after her confession to all her friends, and their compassion and support for her secret enjoyment.
Even though she had told Gallus and the others that she would be brave enough to take on the task of meeting with Rarity and asking for a dress to be made for her.
“All you have to do is ask,” Gallus had stated the night before, shortly before every creature crawled into bed. “Rarity is the farthest pony from judgmental you can imagine, trust me.”
It so happened that the following day there was an incident at the Carousel Boutique, and so Rarity’s class was cut short. Thus, she’d joined Starlight in her office to assist students who were unable to fully grasp the topics discussed or had some homework issues. Smolder caught wind of this, and immediately jumped on the opportunity to speak with the fashionista teacher.
Before she knew it, the line had ended. The hallway lay empty, leaving no one but Smolder standing there, eyes low and nervously contemplative.
“Well, come in, dear!” Rarity said with a smile, jarring the little dragon out of her scared trance. All at once, Smolder froze up, her face as red as a rose from embarrassment as the underlying reason for her visit came shooting back – out of her anxious mind and into reality.
“Oh, h-hello Rarity,” Smolder stuttered, spitting rapid, short breaths in an attempt to try and relax. She jerked her head in the desk’s direction. “And to you, too, Ms. Glimmer.”
“Is there an issue with the classwork I assigned you earlier today?” Rarity guessed, putting a hoof to her chin. “Or is there still something else bothering you?”
Smolder felt her stomach drop, as if she’d just leapt off a cliff. An issue. It was obvious Rarity knew about the difficulties faced with the cut-short class, but it seemed she knew of something else. Maybe she overheard Gallus and I. I mean, she does frequent the library in the evening sometimes…
A gulp came from her throat – so prominent, it seemed to make Starlight’s head turn slightly in her direction. Maybe the class and homework could be a way to ease out the tension and calm the waters of conversation. So, she sat down on a stool. “Um… I… actually found the classwork easy to understand. The way you laid out the homework questions was great, too. It pushed me to use my thinking skills more and visualize certain situations in a conflict between friends.”
Smolder gazed up at the ceiling, wishing a monster could just crash through it, grab her, and yank her out of this trap. But she had to keep her self-promise – that she would stay committed to what she loved, no matter whether others saw or knew it or not.
“But homework isn’t the reason I came,” Smolder stated, trying to keep her voice as clear and free of trembling as possible. “I… I-I wanted to ask you a favor, Rarity. I’d have preferred to tell you in private, but my day got wound up with other things, and your time in Starlight’s office was my only chance.”
“It’s alright, I’ll step out for a bit,” Starlight replied quickly, disappearing in a poof of teleportation.
“So, what is it, dear?” Rarity asked, sitting down on the floor next to Smolder, peering over with her soulful, ever-so-pretty eyes. “I’m positive I have time for it.”
Just spit it! Smolder screamed in her head. Ten words is all it takes! Just ten!
Her lips parted rather quickly. “Well… it’s a rather… simple request, but also one that’s for someone I know… but…”
Smolder glanced at the floor, feeling nervous and defeated. Rarity wasn’t easily fooled, though, and gently pulled the conflicted dragon by the shoulder to face her. She eyed Smolder directly. “Please, darling. It isn’t healthy to keep fragmenting what you’re trying to say like this. Neither is it good manners to look away from me during a conversation, especially when you’re requesting something.”
A look of compelling came on Rarity’s face, and Smolder’s twitchy tail and shaky heart returned.
She’s blocked all roads, except the one I didn’t want to travel down, Smolder thought. I have to walk through the fire.
Swallowing hard and fighting to maintain eye contact, Smolder finally let it out. “I would like you, Rarity, to make me a dress, please.”
Right the moment she said it, Smolder’s eyes snapped shut in fear, and she curled up, feeling like she could just vanish from existence due to what she’d just revealed to a teacher.
For a moment, the air seemed so still and quiet, Smolder could’ve heard a leaf fall from a tree outside the window. Nothing could be heard. Not a mocking laugh. Not a gasp of shock. Not even a single word.
A few seconds later, Smolder blinked, taking note that she was now on a couch, curled up next to Rarity, her tough yet sensitive dragon scales brushed up against the pony’s soft, fuzzy, warm body.
Rarity had her hoof on the back of Smolder’s neck, gently caressing it. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. It seems there is another side to you, isn’t there? You enjoy wearing something that makes you feel cute and pretty?”
“Yes,” Smolder whispered.
“Then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, dear. Name your colors, style, and details, and I’ll do it. But first, would you like to discuss how and why you feel this way?”
Smolder blinked and tilted her head in curiosity and shock. “You mean, now?”
Rarity raised her head slightly, as if to say yes – but shook her head instead. “Actually, yes but not here.” She crouched down, extending her shoulder out. “You can hold me for support, fi it makes you feel better. I know this is a rather unsettling environment, given whom it rightfully belongs to. Let’s head outside.”
Reaching out with a hand, Smolder gently clutched her professor’s shoulder, and the two walked out of the office and into the hallways, where they made their way to Smolder’s sleeping quarters. Upon entering, Rarity gently flicked the door shut, the latch sliding with a click. She fired off a notification spell to inform Starlight that the guidance counsellor was free to return to her office, and sat Smolder down on the dragon’s bed.
“Hopefully you’re feeling more comfortable now,” Rarity said soothingly. “Don’t worry, we’re alone here. Everypony and every other creature is asleep. Just you and I.”
Slowly, Smolder’s posture relaxed, and her mind began to process what her mouth needed to deliver. She sat upright and let her tail flop down at an angle behind her.
“When you’re in a world where everything’s one way, and you get exposed to a whole new world, it rubs off on you, and you begin to explore and accept a developing side of yourself you never even realized you had,” Smolder began, keeping it as smooth and detailed as possible, before switching up and shortening her descriptions. “Feels good to be beautiful and shed off the skin of being so rough and cocky sometimes. Um…”
Out of descriptive options, Smolder threw up her hands. “There’s no other words I can get. It just makes me feel joyful and happy.”
Rarity laid a hoof on the sad dragon’s shoulder. “While this is undoubtedly unexpected from my part, I can assure you there is no harm or wrong in it. There’s nothing to be ashamed of for wanting to relive a moment where you felt happy, joyful, and free. And I, frankly, would be delighted to assist in doing so. Is there anything you’d like, besides a dress? I can arrange for that, too.”
For the first time since class ended earlier that day, Smolder managed a little smile. Suddenly, sharing her internal feelings didn’t seem so bad. The pain of mockery and embarrassment seemed farther away than the Dragon Land itself.
“Maybe later,” she replied sheepishly. “I do have a few details that I’d like to have done to the dress, though. I… have been taking notes with some of your pony designs.”
“You’re welcome to explain them to me,” Rarity offered, her smile as bright as the moon itself. “How do you feel now? Better?”
Smolder glanced down, then up. “Yes, Miss Rarity. I feel better. I do apologize if I… made it difficult for you.”
Still holding her tender smile, Rarity shook her head, her mane’s soft curls bouncing in a dainty, almost alluring way that held Smolder’s attention. “Nonsense. Everyone has issues with coming out of what they enjoy and like, especially when they think it may not be well-received by others. I’m glad to see you held firm and didn’t just skirt around it with witty lies. A score for honesty, don’t you say?”
Smolder grinned and nodded. “Indeed. Now, I need some sleep.”
“You sure do, Smolder. But first, I think you deserve this.”
Rarity held her arms wide and gave Smolder a great big hug, nuzzling the little dragon the same way she did with her little sister. “And I wish you a good night sleep.”