Blue Belle willed her door open, stepping out into the hallway.
"Blue!"
She turned to see an aristocratic, and nervous, stallion closing quickly. "I've been doing some thing." He brushed a leg with the opposing hoof. "And... I... Even if I'm not into mares--"
Blue Belle peered quizzically. What was that stallion going on about?
"--You deserve to at least know where you stand."
"Where I stand?" She hiked a brow. "Can you... expand on that?"
"You're, I still don't know, trying to not be a stallion, but you are." He raised a hoof behind his head. "Give me a chance, just one, and I'll show you how nice it can be to be... a stallion."
Blue's eyes narrowed a little, her nose raising high. "I have laid with a mare before, not that this is a couth topic to broach."
"Sure, a mare, sure..." He trailed a hoof against the ground. "But maybe what you need is a chance with another stallion, who knows how stallions work, and can look you in the, uh, eye."
Despite his words, he was busy not meeting eyes, so embarrassed was he. For good reason! At least as far as Blue Belle could see. The stallion was slightly smaller than herself, though that would change, if things went well. Well dressed, and cleanly scented, at least they weren't disheveled. "Did somepony put you up to this?"
He shook his head rapidly. "No! No... just... me, thinking about our last discussion." Last discussion? "May I have a chance, Blue Belle?" He smiled so hopefully. "I'll be a complete gentlecolt, promise."
Blue considered the stallion a quiet moment. "Sir."
"Hm?" His ears perked and his eyes shone. "What?"
"I don't like being ridden," Blue stated simply, as if announcing her disliked flavor of pastry. "I'm afraid it wouldn't work."
She strode on to other affairs, leaving the stunned stallion behind. In her mind, that was it, it was all nice and settled. A hoof landed on her shoulder. There the stallion was, shaking a little. "W-wait! I mean... you could do the riding." He coughed embarrassedly. "This isn't about that! This is... two ponies making one another happy." He moved the hoof on Blue to his own chest. "I have always admired you, from afar. Your bravery inspired me to, um... step forward, to make my own intentions clear."
Blue paused, then slowly turned back to her admirer. "I... can appreciate that." She raised a hoof to her own chin. "We are in a similar state, I do suppose. But what we want is not very compatible." His ears suddenly danced. "Oh! I know exactly who can help you."
"You do?" He inclined his head faintly. "Who? How?"
"Never you mind that. What was your name again? I'll send them your way, so long as you're ready to take the next step."
The stallion blinked softly, stunned at the turnaround that had just occurred. "Of course... I'm ready. Here I am? Um... I'm Long Shot, nice to meet you."
"Charmed," she assured with a nod. "You will be visited by a pony, a bit on the large side. They will take great interest in making sure you find just the right pony, so trust them." She tapped her chin. "They led me to a wonderful friend." Sure, it had fallen apart, but that was much her own fault for starting with false pretenses. "Just tell the truth."
"The truth... right." He glanced away and back. "Are you... certain? I would..."
Blue raised a hoof to the stallion's lips. "I feel certain you would do your absolute best. Place the blame on me. I have set my eyes already, and I would bid you do the same. You want a stallion? Time to get one." She turned that hoof back on herself. "But I am a mare, so all I can do is cheer you on."
She left the stunned stallion behind, though things between them were far more honest than they had been. "Time to give Cadance a call," she muttered on the way, certain that Cadance would appreciate the call to play matchmaker.
"Today is a special day." Fire was perched on her bed, as she often was. "Very special."
"One moment." Blue approached her mirror and nodded towards it. "Cadance, if you please?" The mirror began to humm softly, the call in progress. "What was it?"
"If you want her to hear, fine. Today is the day you could cast the spell," taunted Fire, watching as Blue went stiff. And a pink princess appeared.
"Bluey! How are you?" She leaned forward, peeking about. "Oh, who's that?"
Fire huffed gently. "Her teacher." She pointed to the still paralyzed Blue. "I think she had a question for you."
"Oh! Yes." Blue shook herself free of her surprise. "I was actually hoping to enlist your aid--"
Cadance squealed with obvious delight, though quickly composed herself, coughing into a hoof. "I see," she said in a level tone.
Blue did not quite grasp the emotions at play. "It is for an associate of mine."
Cadance arched a brow, confusion replacing her forced tranquility. "It is?"
"His name is Long Shot. He prefers the company of other stallions, and is afraid to go seeking them." She turned a hoof to herself. "He approached me, but I am a mare."
Cadance's cheeks went dark. "O-oh my! Yes, I can... poor thing. He must have been so sad."
"He was disappointed," agreed Blue, implying she didn't quite get it. "But I thought, if any pony could, you could help him find a more suitable target."
"Well..." She tapped the frame of the mirror. "I do appreciate you thinking of me. This is... well, it's one of the things I do." She smiled gently. "Perhaps next time you'll let me hunt for you, better armed with what you're after."
"Mayhaps," Blue agreed not very convincingly. "Can you help them?"
"Do they have a mirror?" Cadance tapped a bit more forcefully. "For a cousin, I can convince ponies to make room for my departure, but I have no such relation with this pony. I suppose I could try calling them and seeing what happens?"
"Do that," urged Blue. "But call me back if that doesn't work, and I'll see he gets one. Thank you." She waved, ending the call and turning towards Fire. "Is it true?!"
"Have I lied yet?" That Blue knew of, of course. "You have all the runes. You've been using magic more and more each day." She sat up, bringing her hooves together. "Today is the day you take what you thought was a fleeting dream and demand it come into reality. Today is the day you prove you are a sorceress of extreme skill, by doing what even Twilight Sparkle hesitated to do."
"I... see." She sat down and took a slow breath, running her hoof up along her chest. "Alright. This is what I've been training for."
"Exactly, so let's get to it." Floating out from her fur came a scroll the unrolled, revealing a wickedly long and complex spell. "Here it is. Go on."
"You're joking." Blue raised a brow, eyes darting over the magical instructions. "There is no way I can cast this today, safely. I will study it." Already her horn was glowing, working over the runes step by step, practicing how each flowed into the next. "I will not fail this close to the finish line for want of hurry."
Shoot. Fire settled on her belly, upset that Blue hadn't taken the chance to fail in some outrageous way. "That's probably smart." Boring, but smart. "Go on then..."
Determined to get it right, Blue read over the spell, practicing each step as she went along. "This... leads to that... which causes..." she muttered under her breath, trying her best to not only memorize it, but understand what she was doing. "This will... recreate me, at a very fundamental level."
Fire's ears perked. "All transformations do that. You changed clothes, perceptions, and even things into oranges. None of them were the same afterwards. That's the point, hmm?"
"I suppose so..." She sat up, waving a hoof over it. "But I don't wish to die."
"Too late." Fire rolled her eyes. "Silly pony. You've died, basically, a dozen times just this year. You'll go through a few dozen more before it's done." She thrust a hoof at Blue. "You apologized to Rarity. Would the old you do that?"
"I..." She huffed and stomped a hoof, frustration building. "I suppose not."
"Then get on with it." Fire pointed at the spell. "You ready or not?"
"I... think I am." She licked over her lips, soon to be changed, in theory. Her eyes glanced at the clock. It was early evening. Early yet to reach her... "She... would understand." Blue abandoned the scroll in favor of the mirror. "Luna."
The mirror began to humm softly, trying to reach Luna's mirror. Fire rolled her eyes. "She can't help you cast the spell."
"She can help me," stated Blue firmly.
Luna appeared, a wide yawn splitting her features. "Mmm, who... oh!" Her features came into sharper focus as she recognized who was calling her. "Is something wrong?"
"I... am about to cast the spell... If it is not too much trouble... would you be here?"
Luna raised a hoof. "Oh... I see... I do wish, niece of mine, you had waited another hour. Still, there is zero chance I will get any additional sleep, knowing what is to come. Do you wish I came there, or will you come here? There is little need to use this mirror, we are in the same building." A gentle smile was on her face, looking on patiently.
Blue glanced to Fire, who was making a shooing motion with her hooves. "I'll be there shortly. Thank you..." The call ended, she turned to Fire fully. "I would have thought you'd prefer we do it here?"
"Who, me?" Fire snorted away the idea. "It's more important that you be around those you trust."
Blue took a step towards the door, her ears flickering. "Thank... you?" Despite his teacher's uncharacteristic thoughtfulness, she rushed on her way towards Luna's room. Unknown to her, an invisible imp of a mare followed behind, fully intending to watch things happen.
It felt like all eyes were on her, gazing, judging. As if they somehow knew what she was about to do, and few of them had positive ideas about the idea. She would leave stallionhood behind... She took a soft breath as she turned into the darker hallways of her auntie and chosen mother for the task. She came up short. One of the guards before Luna's door was an unusual tribe, with tufted ears and leathery wings, they peered with predator's eyes upon Blue.
"I am here to see Princess Luna," announced Blue, standing as firmly as she could muster. "She should be expecting me."
The unicorn headed inside, leaving Blue with the pony with bat-like attributes. "Hm, pardon... the question?" The guard had never stopped staring. "What tribe are you?"
The guard revealed teeth a little too sharp for a pony. "Thank you, for asking, instead of making up a name."
Blue nodded softly. "That would be impolite, and I am... currently quite sensitive to the idea of being called what I would rather not be. It's the least I can do."
"To answer your question." He pointed to the crescent moon on his armor. "I am a lunar pony, in service to Princess Luna."
"She is well in hoof with you about," complimented Blue with a little smile. "Thank you, for humoring the question."
Things became quiet, but somehow a little less tense. They weren't complete strangers anymore, having spoken to one another. "Send him in," spoke the second guard, returning to his position. "She was expecting him."
Just as she said! But she didn't bring that up, instead striding past the guards. "A good evening to you both."
"May the moon watch over," spoke the lunar pony, allowing Blue past.
Luna was inside, properly dressed, her eyes shining with alertness. "Blue Belle, this is quite the evening! Are you truly ready?"
Blue's horn glowed, pulling out the scroll she had taken with her. "I have the spell, though I am quite nervous. This will close the chapter on a rather large part of my life... This is why I wanted to be with you, Auntie..."
Luna stepped closer, reaching a wing around Blue Belle. "I will remain at your side." Her nose twitched. What was that odd smell? She made a note to demand the room be properly cleansed. With any hope, her niece wouldn't notice it... "When you are ready, you may begin."
"Aunt... I am scared. I... know this is what I was reaching for." She extended a hoof outwards as if reaching for something just beyond it. "But now that it is here, I am filled with questions."
"As well you should be." Luna leaned against Blue, the gentle shaking fading a little bit with the comforting presence of a pony that cared. "This is a great step, a leap... If you felt nothing, that, that would be strange. You are not a coward, or a fool. You are a pony, facing a dramatic shift. I am with you."
"Thank you." Blue sat up, a little smile. "I do suppose I am beyond the time of matching the name and title I took on myself. I do appreciate those willing to humor me, but if I have the means, I should do it, or accept that I was speaking a lie."
"Not a lie." Luna set a metal-clad hoof on Blue's snout. "Even if you turned back at this late stage, you didn't lie. You just discovered the truth. I will not lose respect for you. Your friend, Fancy Pants? I can't imagine him holding a grudge either. Step forward, because you want to, not because you feel obliged."
"Nobility is full of obligations," she chuckled out, eyes closing. "But... in this..." Things grew quiet a moment. The scroll unfurled in Blue's magic, spreading out in all its byzantine complexity. "I will take that step. I will be Blue Belle... Your niece, baroness. Blueblood dies today, well and truly. Long live Baroness Blue Belle!" Blue brought down a hoof with a loud clop. "So I speak."
"And so it is written," gently agreed Luna. "Can I help?"
"Just... stay with me." Her hoof wandered over the page as her horn began to glow. "With luck and preparation, this will... proceed smoothly. Should it not, at least I have you at my side. I can ask for no better pony."
Luna unfurled her wing, folding it against her back to give room. "I will be here. My entire attention is on you. Do your best, I ask nothing further than that."
Blue began to play the song of magic, working quickly from rune to rune, to play each with the emphasis and transition demanded to the next in the line. The spell was long and gruelling, but she was doing it. She could feel the magic gathering around her, sinking into her in preparation. Soon, it would begin to change her. There, to there, Up, and onwards. Her horn tingled with the powerful magic she wove as her entire body began to shine, but no changes were happening, yet. She was gathering her soldiers, placing each in their proper position. Only when all was ready would they charge and the great battle would begin.
Until then, she could feel the tension of that future conflict, growing as she performed the spell. The simper masculine magic would be broken down, replaced with the dizzying female routes that a mare had to have to exist as a mare. Her own body would be used, for energy, for parts. She had plenty of bulk she'd no longer need, and it would fuel the spell, the change. To go the other way around would be quite a bit more difficult.
The mental image of a mare glutting herself round to have the mass required for a stallion danced in Blue's head. Amusing, but distracting. She did her best to banish it. She was becoming smaller, not larger, so that wasn't an issue for her.
A wave flowed through her. It was past the point of no return. The magic has begun acting on her, changing things. Even should she have aborted the spell, she would be changed. Her tail twitched as she rose to her unsteady hooves, the waves of change pressing upon her from all directions. It felt like a legion of ants were crawling across her skin as her nerves screamed with both irritation and pleasure in a strange combination. She had to continue the spell. There was no turning back.
Her snout pulled back, rounding as a mare's aught to be. "O-oh!" She called, her voice breaking and uneven, caught between states. She was doing it! She was truly taking that step, into the unknown, towards what she had imagined herself being. No longer was it a dream. She was making it reality. Step to step to... She was about halfway through the spell, working down the scroll. She just had to keep it up. She could feel it working, the magic. It was doing it, right. The song of magic rang clearly in her ears.
The room seemed larger. Luna was taller. No, she was smaller! "I'm... doing it," she got out, her voice a bit higher, still broken, still not entirely where it needed to be. But she was getting there. She was becoming Blue Belle, not just in name. She would gaze in that mirror, and that mare would gaze back. They would share a knowing smile. It would not be a step into a foreign land, but a return to a home she had long been denied.
"Remain calm," gently counseled Luna. "You are doing well, keep a calm heart."
Yes, yes, of course. She had to finish the spell. She felt a strange tickle down below. Oh! She turned dark in the cheeks, realising she had just become capable of feeding a young foal, as all mare's are capable of doing. Stallions were not, but was she a stallion? Not anymore! She had to blink, batting away tears she hadn't realized she was shedding.
She was coming home, returning to where she should be, not advancing to some new place. Yes, this was... exactly where she needed to be. That note led to that note. She had it... She was doing it...
With a strange cruel pull, her body reclaimed what would not be needed, turning it to other ends. She was no longer capable of... stallion acts. She was not a stallion. She was rapidly growing in mare ways, soft curves and a feminine yelp. She was almost done. She could feel her altered body flexing in new ways. She was a mare. She was... Blue Belle.
Bright magic flashed. Her vision was obscured as her entire form was concealed behind a giant hologram of her cutie mark, the compass rose flaring into being so very brightly. The spell was done. Her will was cast. "I... did it?" she asked with a new voice, no longer cracking. She sounded, well, like a mare. A noble mare! Which... She was?
Luna brought her hooves together, clopping excitedly.
Clopping came from across the room. There was Cadance, grinning ear to ear.
Blue Belle's ears flipped against her head. "When did you get here?!"
Luna inclined her head towards the mirror. "I let her in. She had dearly wished to see you. Please forgive me."
"You've come out wonderfully!" Cadance was still clopping, applauding eagerly. "I greet you, Baroness Blue Belle. How do you feel?"
Blue prodded Luna in the side. "That was rude, Auntie." She turned left and right, looking herself over. "Is it... right?" She swished her tail, then lifted it.
Cadance snorted into laughter. "Getting a peek? I suppose that's your right, it is yours now."
Blue darkened, tail dropping. "It wasn't like that!"
Luna put a leg over Blue. "Cadance isn't wrong. It's your body. To want to learn of it is entirely natural, just... not in company." She cleared her throat softly. "Regardless, I too welcome you, Baroness Blue Belle, Niece. You were that before, but the outside matches far better now, hm?"
"Yes!" She rushed for the... That mirror had Cadance, no reflection. "Bah." She turned, there! She hurried towards an actual mirror to behold herself. "Blue Belle," she greeted the mare that looked back at her. "It's... me."
Luna came up from behind. "You are a lovely mare, if you don't mind my opinion. It would seem your royal figure translated quite well. Stallions will be lining around the block for a chance to exchange words with you."
Cadance had a far more lecherous grin. "Do you want any help finding a date? You need to learn how to woo and be wooed, as a mare! Oh the things I plan to teach you."
"I did not become a mare to enter the dating pool," she huffed, stomping the ground and turning around to face Luna. "I am here to be me. And, as a proper mare, I will need more help conducting myself in a ladylike fashion."
"That's what I offered!" complained Cadance, detecting that her chance was slipping between her hooves. "Come here and let me help you, Bluey."
Luna inclined her head. "Blue Belle is not asking for help dating, but in comporting herself. I will gladly continue those lessons. Far easier now that you are in the right form for it. Did it hurt?"
"Hmm?" She thought back to it. "It was... unpleasant, but not unbearably so. I sound so different." She brought a hoof to her own throat, feeling it as she spoke, "This is not quite as I dreamed it, but it's still a very nice voice, I think."
"You were imagining, in your dream," counseled Luna. "Now we face reality, but it is not a bad thing, as you have discovered."
"Not bad," Blue agreed easily. "It will take some getting used to. I will have to introduce myself! Not a pony in the castle will know who I am."
Cadance snorted softly. "Unless they look at your rump."
It was true, her cutie mark was entirely unchanged for the transition. Her destiny and purpose remaining exactly as it had been. "Well, good." She nodded. "That will make it easier to impress on them, and I am still me." She turned a hoof to her chest. "Even if that has changed a bit." She let out a little breath, a smile on her face.
Luna patted the back of her niece gently. "You are missing the note of another great event."
"I am? Whatever is it?"
"You are clearly a sorceress. There can be no denying it." Luna nodded gravely. "Even I stumbled when enacting that spell. Why, even Twilight flinched away from it, I am told. You cast it. You are a wizard, well and truly. Let nopony speak against that undeniable fact."
A smile spread over Blue's face even as her cheeks tinted dark with embarrassed pride. "I did cast that... Oh, now that I am here, I will have to set a new goal for myself. It would be... quite a shame to come this far just to set it all down. Besides, my friends rather fancy my tricks, and I wouldn't want to disappoint them."
Blue was already heading for the door. "Thank you, both of you. I have so much to do! I must inform everypony. I must allow them to lay eyes on my new form." She shook her new rump, enjoying the feel of it from the inside and even the look of it from the outside. She was a pretty noble mare, and she had arrived!