It was a crisp, Spring afternoon in Fillydelphia: ponies of all kinds filled the streets and sidewalks, talking about innumerable topics, and doing an equal number of activities. At a small, open-air bistro, a light mulberry Earth Mare sat at a table, eating a fresh sandwich. She had a puffy, cerise mane, a tail to match, similarly coloured eyes, and a bunch of grapes and a strawberry on her flank. She was also wearing pale violet saddlebags bearing a similar motif.
After a few minutes of looking around the city block and eating, the mare noticed a particular stallion who caught her eye.
A moderate green Earth Stallion trotted about the park. His eyes were a deep red, he had a full, flowing cyan mane and tail, tied back with black bands, and an “X” formed by a frying pan and spatula decorating his flank. He looked about idly, seeming almost isolated from everypony nearby. A few seconds passed, and the stallion finally noticed the mulberry mare looking at him. Without hesitation, he approached her.
“Hey, Berry,” greeted he in a smooth, almost feminine voice. He wore a melancholy look on his face, but still beamed genuine joy at seeing his old friend again.
“Pan Sear," remarked Berry as she looked the stallion over. Her expression bore as much joy as that of the green stallion. “I haven’t seen you in years; how’ve you been”
“I’ve been doing well,” replied Pan Sear. “And yourself?”
Berry slid a chair out from under her table before she replied. “Not bad,” said she. “Would you like a seat?”
Pan sat down politely. “Thank you,” said he, bowing his head slightly. “Anyway, what brings you to Fillydelphia? I thought you lived in Ponyville.”
“I do, I do,” confirmed Berry. “I was just in town and you showed up.”
Pan gave his friend a condescending look. “I’m not a foal, Berry,” said he, irritated, “you weren’t just ‘in town;’ Ponyville’s hours away by any means of transport.”
“Well, maybe, uhh,” stuttered the mulberry mare, before visibly admitting defeat and admitting, “okay, fine. Yesterday, I was sitting at home, and I suddenly got a craving for one of your Pan Sear Slushy Specials!” She held her head in shame after she revealed her motive.
The green stallion simply giggled at the mare’s display. “You mean to tell me,” began he, still chuckling slightly, “that you came almost halfway across Equestria for a drink?”
Berry looked up, her mulberry face having shifted to a cherry red colour. “Well, yeah,” said she meekly, “but my name’s Berry Punch; it’s even shown by my Cutie Mark that I love drinks.”
Pan began to chuckle again. “It’s okay, Berry,” assured he. “Now, here’s the deal; I’m off today because the diner’s closed, but I’ll gladly take you to my place and make you that drink of yours, eh?” The stallion used his hoof to shift Berry’s attention to him as he told her, “and I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer; you’ve come too far to be denied.”
The mare smiled brightly at what Pan had said. “Thanks, Pan,” said she kindly, “you always were a sweetheart.”
“I do my best,” replied the stallion, modesty defining his tone.
“So, what’ve you been up to?” The mare’s curiosity shone at every question she asked.
“Not much,” said Pan Sear, “just been doing a lot of thinking.”
Berry looked even more curiously at her green friend. “Thinking? About what?”
The stallion sighed heavily. Leaning his head against a hoof, he responded distantly. “Too many things to name, Berry.”
“Well,” suggested the mare, “why not start with what’s troubling you the most?”
The stallion raised an eyebrow. “Troubling me? Nothing’s troubling me; what made you think that?” He spoke rapidly, as if trying to avoid the subject.
Taking note of this, Berry continued, her cerise eyes gazing into her friend’s magenta irises. “Sweetie, I know when something’s bothering somepony, especially somepony I’ve known since I was a filly.” Her eyes shone genuine concern as she continued, “you can tell me anything, Pan; what’s troubling you?”
Pan looked around at the various ponies about the area. “I’d rather not talk about it,” began he, “in case somepony can hear us.”
“Pan,” began Berry blankly, “if somepony’s eavesdropping on us, then they can kiss my flank.” She made her statement plain for anypony listening to hear. “Please,” continued she, the care returning to her smooth voice, “I want to help you; how can I do that if I don’t know what’s wrong?”
The stallion sighed again. accepting the fact, he said, “okay; it seems you’re not going to let it go, anyway.”
“Can I offer you’s guys some coffee?” asked a waiter, a pale brown Pegasus Stallion wearing a stained apron, as he approached the pair from the restaurant. Unbeknownst to him, he had inadvertently made Pan Sear extremely uncomfortable with his presence.
“Yes, please,” confirmed Berry politely. Pan only nodded slightly to confirm.
The waiter nodded and re-entered the building, emerging about a minute later, a platter holding two cups of steaming java on his back. He used his wings to slide the cups onto the table. “There you go, then; enjoy,” said he with a smile before Berry paid him for the drinks and he left the pair alone again.
Berry took a sip of her coffee before she noticed Pan‘s discomfort. “Are you alright?” asked she, clearly worried.
Pan stuttered for a moment before fully answering. “Oh.. I just.. I.. I don’t want that to happen when I say what I want to.” The stallion looked down at his cup, avoiding eye contact with his friend.
“It won’t,” assured Berry calmly. “Now quit stalling and tell me what your problem is.” The mare sounded impatient, but a tenderness in her voice still suggested that she was still very worried.
“Okay,” sighed Pan Sear as he thought aloud to himself. “How do I explain this?” After a few seconds, he looked his friend in the eye and asked her, “you’re physically a mare, aren’t you?”
“Ummm, yes,” answered the mulberry mare, confused. “What does that mean?”
“Let me finish,” said Pan, holding up a hoof. “And I’m physically a stallion, right?”
Berry sighed from confusion. “From what I can see, yes,” confirmed she.
The stallion sighed as he prepared to speak again. “And your, umm, mind is comfortable with your being a mare, yes?”
Berry nodded. “I.. guess so,” replied she unenthusiastically. “What does this have to do with anything?”
Pan’s tone shifted from a nervous stutter to a blank, clear voice one would associate with a hardened soldier. “It has to do,” said he, “with my problem. Your mind is a mare’s mind; content with your body as it stands.” He then looked down at himself as his tone lightened again and he continued, “my mind, however, isn’t so content.”
“So,” began Berry as her confusion lessened slightly, “what you tried to explain to me is that you’re a stallion, but want to be a mare?”
Pan Sear nodded, shame evident in his expression.
The mulberry mare smiled brightly at her friend as she lifted his head with her hoof to face him. “Come on,” said she tenderly. “Walk with me; talk with me.” She lifted his head up further, making him stand on his hooves.
“Okay,” complied Pan in slightly higher spirits as the pair trotted off slowly.