//------------------------------// // 9. Family Dinner // Story: Sweetie Belle Learns Rarity Is Trans // by cookiefonster //------------------------------// “Hey, Rarity... is it OK if we take a break from dressmaking for a little bit?” Sweetie Belle asked. She examined the waistline she had assembled for the dress, whose shape she had gone back and forth on as she listened to Rarity explain how she told her friends she wasn’t born as a mare. Rarity gasped. “A break from dressmaking? Have you lost your mind, Sweetie Belle? We only have five days before Sapphire Shores’ dress is due! If we take a break, we’ll never finish it within the deadline!” “No, no, I didn’t mean a break for multiple days. I just meant, like... a break for an hour or two! To refresh my mind, because right now I’m a little stuck on what to do next.” “Oh, now that is understandable,” Rarity said with a sigh of relief. “When I design outfits, breaks are of utmost importance! If I work too long at my desk surrounded by dresses and sewing machines, I run out of inspiration and can’t come up with new ideas until I step away and let my mind wander.” “Wait, you do that too?” “Of course, dear. That’s a natural part of being an artist!” Sweetie Belle’s jaw dropped. “But... I thought I was the only one who ever had to take breaks. I always thought you could pump out the most amazing dresses in one sitting!” “Well, I could design a dress in one sitting, if I was willing to sacrifice at least one of my Rules of Rarity, which I would not do under any circumstances. And besides, think of it this way, dear. Apple Bloom normally takes a break after a long day of harvesting apples, correct?” “Of course she does.” “And Scootaloo doesn’t spend all day nonstop practicing her scooter tricks, does she?” “She couldn’t. She would burn herself out after only a few hours!” “As you can see, there is no shame whatsoever in taking a break! Now, how would you like to go get a massage with me at the Ponyville Spa?” Rarity asked with a bright smile. “Wow. Rarity, that’s a nice offer and all, but... I kind of just wanted us to chill out in your room so I can hear more stories from you.” “Oh... well... if that’s what you truly prefer, we can do that instead,” Rarity said, trying her best not to look disappointed. “YES!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “Now... where is your bedroom?” “Come, follow me!” Rarity walked out the door from her design room and entered her bedroom. She hopped onto her bed, and Sweetie Belle followed suit, sitting next to her big sister. Rarity wrapped her arm around Sweetie Belle and pulled her in closer. Sweetie Belle started laughing, much to Rarity’s surprise. “Sweetie Belle? You aren’t contemplating something mischievous, are you?” “No! No, of course not,” said Sweetie Belle between laughs. “It’s just... you never felt this close to me before today, and now you’re telling me all these amazing stories about your life. And it...” Sweetie Belle snickered a little more. “It barely even feels real to me!” “Oh, I can assure you it’s very much real,” Rarity said with a smile. “But during this break, I think it would serve us well to be qui—” “No, no, no, Rarity. Can you please tell me another story? Pleeeeeease?” Sweetie Belle looked Rarity right in the eyes and made her best pleading face. “If you’d like me to tell another story, then... hm.” Rarity rubbed her hoof on her chin, thinking of what experience she could recount next. “Aha! Here’s one that I think you’ll enjoy.” Rarity was seated for the first dinner with her parents and sister in what must have been months. She sat across from Dad at the table, Sweetie Belle across from Mom. Even though she now looked nothing like a stallion, and though Sweetie Belle was born only because she turned out not to be one, she felt there was a balance meant to be had in this seating arrangement—a balance that she had no choice but to disrupt by being she. “Now, are you sure you don’t want any of our broccoli stew?” Dad asked, pointing to the bowl of murky green slop at the center of the table. Sweetie Belle was happily digging in to her bowl, and Mom and Dad each had a sizeable amount placed on theirs. “Oh, I’m... not very hungry tonight,” Rarity said as her stomach growled. “I only have enough room in my stomach for a few cookies at the end.” After sampling enough five-star restaurants and gourmet bakeries in Ponyville and Canterlot, plus some homegrown cooking from the Apple family, Rarity couldn’t bear to go back to her parents’ expansive definition of cuisine. The only exception was her mother’s cookies, which remained quite the pleasure to her taste buds. Rarity’s parents exchanged a knowing look. Some things would just never change, like their elder child’s excitement over cookies, no matter how much Rarity would try to dilute it with a posh attitude. “So, Sweetie Belle, tell us how things have been going at your new school!” said Mom. Sweetie Belle’s head perked up. “Oh! Art class has been so much more fun than at my old school, and I’ve made lots of new friends here, like this one girl named Twist who likes to...” As her sister excitedly blabbered about her experiences at school, Rarity’s brain replayed the memory that made her convince her parents to transfer Sweetie Belle to a new school. Who needs a birthday girl when you’ve got the birthday girl’s amazing big sister? This line had echoed in her head since the day it happened two years ago. Though Rarity always loved to shine in the spotlight, it never felt right to snatch the attention from her dearest little sister—the sibling lucky enough to be born into a feminine body that so obviously suited her perfectly. For the next few weeks after her fateful party, Sweetie Belle was convinced that all her classmates hated her. When Rarity told her parents that Sweetie Belle deserved a school that would treat her kindly, not one whose students would shun her at her own birthday party, they happily complied and sent their daughter to Cheerilee’s school, and she resumed being upbeat and cheerful ever since. “... and once that’s done, I’m going to do a project where I have to draw an animal. I’m thinking of drawing a butterfly!” said Sweetie Belle. “Ooh, exciting! Now, do you have a best friend who you’ve met at school?” Mom asked. “Yes, I do! Her name’s Scootaloo, and she likes a lot of the same things I do. She likes to draw, she loves our school plays, and she always comes into school riding on a cool scooter. And just like I still don’t know how to use my magic, she doesn’t know how to fly, but I’m sure she can do it one day. Oh, wanna know the coolest thing she has in common with me?” “What is it, dear?” said Dad. “We both don’t have our cutie marks!!!” said Sweetie Belle, with a cheerful grin. Rarity was surprised to hear such enthusiasm about her sister not knowing who she was meant to be. But... maybe this made sense to her. Since Sweetie Belle was so unmistakably a girl, one day destined to blossom into a gorgeous mare, surely she could afford not to know everything else about herself. “That’s wonderful, Sweetie Belle!” said Mom. “Now Rarity, what have you been doing lately?” Rarity’s face tensed, and she started sweating. She always felt nervous to explain her interests to her parents. With all the little hoofball jerseys that her parents kept scattered in their living room, she could tell that her dad had strongly envisioned her—or rather, him—as a manly superstar athlete. But her mom asked her an honest question, and she could provide a vague answer. “I... um... have been designing a few dresses lately.” Sweetie Belle looked to her right, facing Rarity, and broke into a smile of sisterly adoration. “Ooh, what kinds of dresses?” she said, leaning her head forward. “Well... a green dress, as well as two blue dresses.” Rarity felt awkward going into detail about her niche hobby, one that so few other ponies in Ponyville seemed interested in. Oh, how she would fit perfectly with the citizens of Canterlot, with their upscale eateries and impeccable fashion sense... but she had nowhere near enough money to go there for more than a week. “Why... why do you ask?” she continued. “Because Scootaloo’s birthday party is coming up, and I’d love it if you could make me a dress too!” “A filly as young as you, wanting to wear a dress to a party? Oh, that is so adorable,” Rarity said with a chuckle. “But there’s no need to dress so fancy for an occasion as simple as a birthday party!” Especially when you already look completely feminine, she thought. “But you always wear dresses when you go to parties, so I think I should too!” Beneath Sweetie Belle’s grin, Rarity could sense a hint of pleading in her expression. “Well... I suppose I could make some time in my schedule tonight, after I’m finished making outfits for, um... a certain event. In Canterlot.” “Ooh, are you talking about the Grand Galloping Gala?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Now, now, girls,” said Dad. “Your mom and I went to the Grand Galloping Gala one year, and it’s really nothing that special. Just a bunch of high-strung ponies being all quiet and serious, in a building that’s way too fancy for our tastes.” How could you SAY that?! Rarity almost blurted. Her parents had some baffling takes over the years, but none as ridiculous as this. But she didn’t come here to argue about whether the Grand Galloping Gala, which she already had the coveted privilege of designing outfits for, was as glamorous as everypony made it sound. “So, erm... Sweetie Belle, could you tell us more about your school play?” Rarity asked, trying to change the subject. “Well... it’s a play about a princess pony looking for her lost love, and Scootaloo said I would be perfect for the lead part. She also keeps telling me I would make a great singer, and...” Sweetie Belle scratched the back of her naturally wavy, girly mane and awkwardly smiled. “It’s really nice of her to say that, but I promise you I’m not that good at it.” “Oh, Sweetie Belle, you should absolutely audition!” said Rarity. “This is your chance to show Equestria what you’re made of, and demonstrate to the world what a dazzling lady you are.” Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow in confusion. “But... I already am a girl.” “Yes, but you see, um... oh, never mind. I’m sure your performance will be splendid!” Rarity said, thinking about how ridiculously easy everything was for her sister. “Please do let me know how it goes down. And if you need any help with singing...” “Wait, you can help me learn to sing?!” Sweetie Belle said excitedly. “I suppose I could, but... your singing voice probably sounds lovely and melodious already. I don’t think you would need much of my guidance.” “Oh yeah... I think I remember that dinner,” said Sweetie Belle. “I convinced you to help me sing when you had the time, you got super excited when it was finally time for cookies...” “Sweetie Belle, darling, I was not excited. I was merely pleased to acquire some cuisine more suited to my palate.” “But I saw the look in your eyes. I could tell you were only interested in eating cookies, but you didn’t want to hurt Mom and Dad’s feelings. And I didn’t tell them, because, well... I didn’t want to hurt their feelings either.” “Perhaps you and I are not nearly as different as we had thought,” Rarity said with a smile. The sisters shared a long, hearty laugh—the kind of laugh they’d normally only have after reconciling from their most disastrous mishaps. It felt natural and refreshing to clear the air at long last... but Sweetie Belle had one more question. “Say, Rarity... aren’t you forgetting about one of your friends?” “Don’t you mean two of my friends? You know Spike is a dear friend of mine as well.” “Uh... yeah,” said Sweetie Belle with a nervous chuckle. “How did you know I was going to ask you about Twilight?” “Because I was just about to tell you about the time I told her and Spike my... secret.” Rarity said the last word with an unnecessary whisper. “And I was just about to ask you whether they knew!” “Be warned, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, putting on a storytelling voice as though she was at a campfire. “This is going to be the strangest tale of all.”