The Clothes Make The Mare
Chapter 1
Twilight Sparkle reviewed her checklist one more time. She knew everything was ready: her list had been perfect the last five times... but checking it over again gave herself something to think about, something to do other than sit and stare out the window as she waited. Outside, the sun shone brightly, baking Ponyville in one of the last hot, lazy days of summer.
Window-gazing wasn't exactly the most engrossing thing Twilight could do right now, but her intense preoccupation wouldn't allow much in the way of distractions. Eight months had gone by since she had seen her brother, or her favorite foalsitter for that matter. She missed them terribly... but soon, her wait would be over. The clock on her windowsill ticked again. Now only three hours and twenty-six minutes! She should have groaned, perhaps, at her pitiful clock-watching state, but any thought of self-reproval was swamped by her ever-growing anticipation.
She knew it wouldn't be particularly healthy to spend all afternoon this way, but she –
Knock – Knock – Knock
“Omigosh! They're early!” Twilight raced down the library's steps, singing, “Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes!” the whole way. She skidded to a stop in front of the door, just before Spike opened it... and there they stood: right on her doorstep, large as life. “Sunshine, sunshine – ladybugs awake; clap your hooves and do a little shake!” She hopped up from her dance, right into her brother's waiting hug.
“Twiley!” Shining Armor gave Twilight a big squeeze before setting her down again. “So, what trouble has my little sis been getting herself in lately?”
“Oh, duels with all of Ponyville at stake, riding balloons through tornadoes... the usual,” she said with a wink. She started trembling a little, barely able to contain herself. “Ooh! We have so much to catch up on! Where do I begin? There's Rainbow... did you know she finally got accepted into–”
“Uh, Twiley?” Shining Armor put a hoof on her shoulder.
“Yes?!”
“You think we could head inside first?” He glanced over at his wife, who was visibly wilting in the oppressive heat.
“Oh! I am so sorry! I just–” Twilight stopped herself. “Come in, come in!”
As soon as she stepped into the cool tree house, she called for Spike. “Spike! Where's my checklist?”
“Right here, where you left it.” The little dragon didn't seem happy about the day's drama so far.
“Good!” She reviewed it once more as her guests made their way inside: Item one: Let them in. Self-reproach biting at her, she checked that one off. Item two: Offer refreshment. That, she could do! She was determined to be a good host. “Spike!”
“I'm right here, Twilight.”
“Start the tea, please, and hurry. We're way behind schedule: they've arrived already and we haven't even started the preparations yet!”
The little dragon waddled off toward the kitchen, grumbling a little under his breath, but Cadance stopped him. “Oh, you're making tea? Here, put some of this in it.” Wrapped in a magical glow, a little package floated out of her saddlebag and over to the dragon. “I brought it as a gift for Twilight, so why not try some now?”
“Um, sure, why not?” He grabbed it out of the air and continued on into the kitchen, no longer grumbling.
“So, can I offer you any tea or anything?” Twilight asked, as if nothing had just happened.
As they stared at her incredulously, both Shining Armor's and Cadance's eyebrows rose in unison.
Twilight's polite smile grew just a little more forced.
“Ah, sure,” Cadance said, “That would be lovely.”
With visible relief, Twilight marked off another item on the checklist. Next item: Small talk. “So, how was your trip? Did you–”
“Twilight.”
She stopped instantly. “Yes, Cadance?”
“Twilight, just relax. It's okay. Really.”
“But...” Twilight knew she should... but she just couldn't. “But it's been so long, and I just want everything to be perfect. I have to–”
“Twiley, we don't want a lot of fuss, okay?” Shining Armor moved over close and gave her another tight hug. “That's why we came alone, so that we could spend some time, just the three of us.”
“But...”
“Twiley... put down the checklist, please.”
“But...” She looked over at Cadance, and back to her brother. “Without it, I might forget to–”
“For your BBBFF?”
Twilight's heart melted a little, and she was able to breathe a little easier. “Well... okay.” She set it down on a nearby shelf. “But now, how will I know what to talk about?”
Cadance laughed. “Well, for starters, what was that about dueling for all of Ponyville?”
“Oh, that?” Twilight tittered nervously. “Did I ever tell you about a unicorn named 'Trixie'?”
“I don't think so.”
“Well, it's a long story, but she first came to Ponyville quite a while ago, before–”
“Tea's ready!” Spike stopped her story short as he came out of the kitchen wearing his favorite frilled apron and carrying a precariously overloaded tray.
“Oh, good. Thank you, Spike.” Twilight quickly poured three cups, being sure to serve her guests first: her etiquette books had insisted on that point. “Like I was saying, that first time was well before the two of you got married. She had come into town with her traveling magic act...” She took a sip of her tea, and she momentarily lost track of her story. “Wow. This is really good stuff. What is it?”
Shining Armor laughed. “I'm glad you like it.”
“It's made with crystal berry seeds,” Cadance answered. “That's what adds the extra flavor.”
“Had to bring something back for my favorite sister!” Shining Armor tussled Twilight's hair, just the way he always had.
“Only sister.” Twilight rolled her eyes, but she smiled widely. “So how are things going up in the Crystal Empire, anyway?”
“It's been wonderful.” A dreamy smile crossed Cadance's face. “Those crystal ponies are some of the nicest ponies you'll ever meet. Maybe it's just the crystal heart's aura, but they really do seem so wonderful to be around.”
“And,” Shining Armor added, “being gone for a thousand years, they don't have any of the prejudices ponies have built up... which makes things really nice for me.”
“Huh?” Twilight honestly had no clue what he was talking about. “What prejudices?”
“It's just, there, I don't get looked down on.” He laughed softly. “It's nice that they can treat everypony equally.”
“What?” Confusion gnawed on Twilight. Her brother was making no sense at all. “How is that different from here?”
“It's just all the ideas about 'a stallion's proper place' and everything never took hold there. You get to see what society was like before ponies started thinking that way. There, nopony looks down on you because you're a stallion.”
“And they do here?” Twilight couldn't believe it. None of her books had ever mentioned anything about–
“Of course they do,” Cadance assured her. “Attitudes like that are common all across Equestria.”
“But they can't be,” Twilight insisted. “I've never seen anything like that.”
Cadance and Shining Armor glanced at each other, then looked back at Twilight.
“Hm... I suppose it's not the kind of thing they would put in books...” Cadance glanced back over at her husband.
“And you don't have any close friends who are stallions, do you?” Shining Armor stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment.
“What are you two talking about?” Twilight was getting a little perturbed now. She hated it when she discovered things that every other pony seemed to already know.
“Don't worry about it.” Shining Armor put on what must have been meant to be a reassuring look. “Just get back to your story. What kind of traveling–”
“Oh, no.” Twilight wasn't about to let this issue slide. “You two tell me about it right now.”
“It really isn't important.” Shining Armor began to back away slowly, looking uncomfortable.
“Tell me!” Twilight knew she was being rude. She didn't care anymore.
Shining Armor and Cadance shared a pained look. Finally, Cadance broke down. “Twilight, in most of Equestria stallions are seen as being inferior to mares.”
“That can't be true.” Twilight had never noticed anything of the sort. “That doesn't happen here. Not in Ponyville.”
Cadance's voice became just a little condescending. “Have you noticed who does all the manual labor jobs around here, Twilight?”
“Well...” They were pretty much all done by stallions... “But, they're just better at it.”
“Like mares are better at being mayors, or princesses?” She pointed at her own royal jewelry.
“But look at Shining Armor!” Twilight had them there, for sure. “He's a stallion, and he's captain of the royal guard for pony's sake.”
“The first stallion to hold that position in more than eight hundred years.” An unmistakable look of pride crossed her brother's face as he said it. “And let me tell you, it wasn't easy.”
Now, military history, Twilight did know. “What? But what about Blazing Shield? He was your predecessor.”
“She.”
“But the history books all say–”
“I've already said more than I should, little sis... You should ask Princess Celestia if you want any more answers about that... I'm not allowed to talk about it.”
Cadance leaned in close. “Believe me, Twilight. Gender discrimination is a big problem in Equestria... All the more so because many ponies don't even realize it's there sometimes.” She gave Twilight a nudge. “I bet you've even done it without realizing you did.”
“That's ridiculous!” Twilight might be able to accept that about other ponies, but herself? Never. “I'm going to get to the bottom of this right now.” She turned around, looking for her little dragon. “Spike, take a letter.”
Spike, still wearing his apron, raised an eyebrow meaningfully.
Twilight's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.
“You know,” Cadance added helpfully, “In dragon society, it's the other way around; males are dominant.”
Stunned and more than a little sheepish, Twilight turned back around. “Never mind, Spike. I'll just write this one myself.”
* * *
"Thank you so much for giving me your input on this letter, guys.” Twilight gave her brother and foalsitter another hug.
“It was nothing, really.” He patted her on the head as she let them go again.
“And I'm just glad we were finally able to stop by and catch up for once without the fate of the world hanging in the balance.” Cadance giggled. “You'll come and visit us in the Crystal Empire?”
“Of course!” Twilight beamed her brightest smile. “And I'll bring my friends, too. You know they love it there...” She glanced side to side conspiratorially. “Especially Rarity.”
In front of Twilight's house, the two royal guards harnessed to their chariot snorted impatiently.
With a wince, Shining Armor turned to leave. “Well, duty calls. I wish we could spend more time here, Twiley.”
“It's okay. I know how it goes.” Twilight had gone through more than her own share of royal duty in her years. “You get going, and I promise to visit soon.”
“I'll remember that promise!” Cadance called out as she stepped up into the chariot. “And I'll see you then!”
Before Twilight could reply, the chariot whisked her guests away. Whatever they were busy with, it really must have been urgent.
Turning back inside, she held the rolled-up letter in front of her with a violet glow. She would find out about this... and she would do her part to fix it. Though she was reluctant to use him now, Spike would be the fastest way to send it. “Spike, could you send this please?”
“Of course, Twilight. It really is no big deal, you know.” Snatching the scroll from the air, he burned it quickly, sending the smoke spiraling out through a window.
“But I never even realized I was doing it.” Twilight could still scarcely believe it herself. “I guess it's just that when the culture around you is so steeped in inequality, you get used to it and don't even notice.”
“I told you, it's okay.” Spike waddled around the library, cleaning up after their guests: something Twilight did notice now... thought she might not have earlier. “I like being your assistant.”
Twilight used a burst of her magic to teleport the dirty teacups into the kitchen. She resolved to do her part of the chores from now on.
“You really don't have to do that, Twi.” Spike evidently wasn't used to that though. “I can manage just fine without–” He broke off what he was saying, and a strained look crossed his face before he belched out a gout of green flame. It coalesced into a letter before falling to the ground. Picking the scroll up and unrolling it, he began to read, “My faithful student, Twilight, I would indeed like to discuss this issue with you, among other things. Please come to Canterlot – alone – at your earliest convenience.” The little dragon flipped the letter over, turned it back to the original side, and even held it upside-down before saying, “That's all there is.”
Well, that was interesting. At least Princess Celestia wanted to see her and talk about it... but what was that 'alone' business about? And what 'other things' did she want to discuss? “Spike, can you finish up here?”
“Sure.”
Twilight thought for a moment, and checked her (meticulously organized) schedule. “And can you make sure my friends know where I went?” She noticed a conflict on the schedule. “And tell Fluttershy that I'll have to reschedule the picnic?”
“Well, I guess so.”
“Thanks!” She gave the baby dragon a big hug before heading for the door. “And don't worry! I'll be back by tomorrow morning.”
* * *