Rarity's Tuxedo

by naikichangeling

I

The needle flies through the air, passing through the soft, black fabric, leaving a path of thread behind it, connecting the sleeve to the rest of the jacket. To think I planned to make a dress out of this beautiful satin, but alas, my choice is made, and I must not hide myself from the rest of this world. I have carried this burden long enough.

I turn my neck around to look at the ponyquin that held the rest of this ensemble of mine. Her shape is so much like my own. I wonder why can't I be perfect, just like these ponies of plastic, careless of such equine worries as love and popularity and reputation, content to wear the clothes that I make, without a thought to what they are. Careless of such concepts as mares and stallions, and blissfully ignorant of the silly secrets ponies keep. She looks strange in the bright white shirt of silk I put on her. After all, mares don't wear shirts, if they wear anything at all.

Then again, that is the whole point of this outfit.

I have hidden myself for far too long. I have lied to everypony I have known since I realized that I am different. Long month after month of watching them from behind a mask of normalcy, of pretending that I am just another mare. It was so easy, really. My tastes have always been feminine, so nopony ever suspected that Rarity, the clothes designer, the mare that always has her mane perfect and gets upset when it isn't, the one that wears fake lashes and eyeshadow and gets hooficures and never misses a date at the spa felt this way. That I was born with the wrong body.

I take a small cut of fabric and take hold of my scissors with my magic. Carefully, I cut it into a little black ribbon, wider at the ends than at the middle. A bowtie. I always wanted to wear one, and yet, now that I am going to, I can't help but to feel nervous. This is so big, and I feel so small and self conscious. I shall expose myself as I am to the world. I float the tie to the ponyquin and wrap it around her neck. A neat little knot, to bind this thing together.

It is done. It is done. Is it done?

No, there must be something I am missing. Some sort of accessory, perhaps a hat... Silly, spineless Rarity, looking for a way to procrastinate, to keep the mask over his face and stay hidden from the world. No, it is done. It's finished, Rarity, and you shall wear it like a badge of pride, for there is no shame in being true to yourself. If anything, hiding from everypony has been your shame, Rarity, and you shall cleanse yourself from it by doing this.

I open the curtains, and let the faint starlight through. It has been a daunting night, but now it is over. I float a sleeping mask towards my face and close my eyes.

---

I take a sip of water from my glass as I see the models strut over the catwalk. The epitome of physical beauty, or so I have been told. A bit too thin to my tastes, as if they were just a frame for the garments to be shown. Today is a strange day for the new line of dresses I had designed. After all, most dress lines don't include tuxedos. And it is unheard that the designer of a line models for it.

At last, the last model walks her way back to behind the curtains. She sees me, and she gasps. I wonder if she had seen a mare without make up in her life, or if it is the fact that it's me that made her gasp. I am wearing the tuxedo, so maybe that was a factor in it, too. I shake my head with my eyes closed, and walk to the catwalk. I cross the curtains.

In an instant, everypony's eyes are on me. Suddenly, every conversation had died, the only sounds remaining being my breath and the drum machine and string music that had been chosen for this occasion. I had arranged for a microphone at the end of the catwalk, and as I make my way through it, I can only wonder how will they react. I had mentioned that I would make an important announcement at the end of the show, but they could never expect what I'm going to do right now. The music stops.

I stand in front of the microphone and start speaking.

"Good evening, everypony. I am Rarity." Their gazes drill holes into my skin. Somepony gasps. "Today, as I had stated earlier, is a very important day for me. Besides announcing this year's spring line of clothes, which I very much hope you liked, I'm here to state something very important about myself."

"I have realized that I am a stallion. I realized this months ago, but I kept it to myself, out of a misplaced feeling of shame for myself. But I can't go on lying to myself, or to you. Now, you all know, and I hope this doesn't change the opinion you have of m-"

The sound of a flying fruit sounds through the air. Red juice drips down my white shirt. The silence is gone, replaced by the voices of those that had once admired me, now filled with rage and contempt as they hurl the vilest of insults at me. I look up, searching for a friendly face amongst the crowd, but there is none. I sob, as a tear rolls down my cheek, and walk back down the catwalk.

Suddenly, there is silence. I turn around. It is as if time had stopped. Everypony's face is frozen in an expression of outrage. A tomato floats in midair, just a few tens of centimeters away from me. And at the end of the catwalk is Princess Luna.

"This is a nightmare?"

"Yes, Rarity. This is nothing but a bad dream. Do not be concerned."

"How much have you seen?"

"I have seen all of it, Rarity. Ever since you fell asleep, I sensed a deep perturbation inside you. Having seen this, I can only conclude that this dream is a product of the things you told. You disappoint me."

"...what?!" I shout. "You dare come into my dreams to insult me?!"

"You misunderstand my words, Rarity. I thought that you, of all ponies, would be strong enough to not be afraid of what others would say. After all, you did not care about that when you started, as a dressmaker from a rural town, trying to make a dent in the cruel minds of Canterlot's nobility."

"That's easy for you to say! Were you in my position, it would be so easy for you to deal with people not agreeing with it! You and Celestia could just easily send them to the dungeons, or to the moon! My livelihood is threatened by the way they react! I'm a smear campaign away from losing everything I have! How am I supposed to react to such a thing?!"

"If they would turn you away, Rarity- you, the greatest clothes designer I have seen since I was brought back from the moon- for the simple fact that you are a stallion trapped inside a female body, then they are fools. I believe that they will not care, or they will pretend they don't. After all, Celestia, Cadenza and I will keep hiring you. There is little those fools like to do more than emulate what Celestia does or thinks."

Hope springs in my chest as a tear rolls from down my eye. I look into her green irises, and ask, "How can you be so sure?"

"They have always been like that. The only difference I have noticed between now and then is that now the stakes of that little game of titles and thrones they like to play have shrunk. I must go, Rarity. Close your eyes and sleep, for I guarantee you a dreamless night."

Comments

[Bad_Seed_72]

It's shape is so much like my own.

*Its shape

"If they would turn you away, Rarity; you, the greatest clothes designer I have seen since I was brought back from the moon; for

*If they would turn you away, Rarity—the greatest designer I have seen since I was brought back from the moon—for...

I look into her green irises, and ask "How can you be so sure?"

*and ask, "How
Also, her eyes seem more blue (turquoise?) to me.

Interesting start. Like I've said before, this is certainly a unique idea. I'll definitely give it a fave and see where this goes. Keep it up!

[Bad_Seed_72]

Oh, I also suggest adding this to more groups, Transgender Bronies and Slice of Life to start.

[naikichangeling]

5707741 Fixed! Thanks a lot! I don't know how I missed that first one.

I think turquoise looks a bit more like Nightmare Moon's sclerae.

[Wrangle Wolfe]

5711573 Is it dead?

[naikichangeling]

6325992 No. Next chapter will be up next week, tops, or may I be struck by lightning (and survive).

[Wrangle Wolfe]

6326421 Ah, okay! That's great to hear! I just asked because it's been some months. I wanted to make sure it wasn't dead before reading it. There were many times where I've read a story and fell in love only to find out later that it was dead..

[Geo Mark]

Ah, yes. Luna is always there to console others. Too bad I couldn't buy her plushie.
Anyways, this story sums up exactly how I feel about myself.
Good story, nice work, can't wait (that long) for a new update.

[lunas_servant]

Now that's how you start a story, amazing. So few stories ever get around to Luna dream-walking.