Blueblooded Bluebell

by David Silver

34 - A Firm Step Forward

"Why did you not inform me?" Blue regarded Fire with full imperious standing.

"Of what?" Fire sat up, stretching and launching herself to the floor with a light clop. "I've been good."

"You seemed to speak to Fleur, in Prench, but now she tells me she cannot converse in it. How is this possible?" Blue clopped the ground for emphasis. "Somepony involved is not being truthful."

"She was speaking it... badly." Fire rolled her eyes dramatically. "I played along and spoke that pidgin of Prench back at her, made her day. Why?"

Blue considered her servant. "And yet you said this was not your specialty, that you couldn't help her."

"My specialty is magic." She clopped her forehooves, sparks dancing. "What I like to do. Languages is... a natural gift. Haven't met a language I don't know, but I don't think about it much, so it's not a specialty."

Blue cycled her hooves. "Be that as it may, it certainly sounds like you could assist Fleur. She would be quite appreciative, as would I, if you could help her speak Prench properly."

Fire trotted towards the window. "She seems nice enough... Why can't you get a guy friend that needs some personal tutoring?"

"Miss Paradox." Blue was standing tall. "I will remind you that you have a stallion, and he likely expects you to respect your connection while it remains. Your eyes should not be on alternatives."

"What are you, a priest?" Fire rolled her eyes at the idea, flopping her arms on the window sill. "We're not even officially a thing."

"He is chasing you across the country. By any reasonable measure, he has displayed faith in you. Will you not return the favor?" Blue turned a hoof on herself. "If you did not want that, you should not have allowed this to proceed as far as it has."

Fire snorted, a puff of brimstone escaping her. "Stop being reasonable." She turned on her employer. "I'm just joking anyway."

"Some things are in poor humor." Blue closed with Fire. "If you tire of the stallion, I would hope you would, at the least, inform him of the fact before you wander off. The bare minimum."

"I'm not tired of him yet." She grunted softly, leaning a bit towards the window glass. "We've barely begun. You mortals are far more likely to get tired of something after a moment. Poor things, such short lifespans. Only a hundred years?"

"Hm?" Blue raised a brow high. "Most ponies persist longer than that."

Fire applied a hoof to her face. "Right! Right, confusing you fuzzballs with another, sorry. I don't often get called to this particular world." She shrugged softly. "Having a pelt doesn't bother me though. It's kind of nice in a way."

The ways of demons remained elusive to Blue. "What you have seen..." She trotted off. There were things to do.

---

"You plan to what?" The stuffy pony was peering at Fancy with a look of incredulity. "Come now, my good stallion. Surely I misheard."

"I spoke clearly." Fancy's horn glowed as he adjusted his monocle. "I will require a spacious area that is easily sub-divided, where ponies of either sex can rest and recover after finishing their business in the center. I imagine they will--"

"I get the physical part." The stallion shook his head. "I can arrange those specifications without a problem, Fancy. But it's what you're doing in them. Mares are mares. Stallions are stallions." They rolled their eyes. "Next thing you'll tell me, you'll be turning creatures into ponies, or, ugh, the other way."

"And what would be wrong with that?" Fancy leaned in at the stallion. "Have you not heard? Placing ponies on a lofty pedestal is on the way out, old bean. Creature cooperation is in, and is on quite the rise. If somepony did want to be something else, I won't stop them, but that is not what we're here to do."

The stallion made a bit of a face, nose scrunched. "The idea of it is... How did you get involved in this? Fancy, I thought better."

Fancy raised a brow at that. "You thought 'better' than that I would act to lessen the suffering of the ponies around me? A strange scale you wield, Sir."

"That's not what I meant," he huffed, turning away. "I'll get the space lined up for your inspection. Do you have a basic sketch of how you want it?"

"I do." A paper floated free, glowing with Fancy's magic on the way to the other pony. "It does not have to be 1 to 1, but that is the basic idea of it."

"Hm." The other stallion's eyes wandered over the paper. "Simple enough. Just gonna forget what this is for." And off he trotted onto business.

Fancy stood still, watching them depart entirely before moving himself. "I did not expect such stiff resistance." And he felt a fool for thinking otherwise. They were playing with ponies' identity, of course there would be some objection to that. Ah, if only Blue had gone to work in the changeling lands. Surely they would not even see the big deal in deciding to be a mare one day and a stallion the next. It was their thing...

Still, he was doing what was right. That had to count for something, yes?

He had to confer with his peers.

"Fancy! Always a delight." Upper Crust circled him. "But something... Something is off, dear. What's weighing on your shoulders? You know you can trust me."

That was both true and false depending on the angle one took. "Alone today?" It was an odd day Upper wasn't with her husband, Jet Set.

"He ran off to his own business." She waved it away. "A stallion thing, and I couldn't be bothered to attend it and be awkwardly out of place. He can handle himself for a day, I'm certain. But let's talk about you." She urged him inside, towards a table. "Sit, let me get some refreshments." And by 'get', she meant call her butler to get on the task of preparing them some drinks and a light lunch to snack on.

Fancy stood by the table, not making use of the seat provided, but he did nibble at the provided pastry. To reject it would have been rude. "You are quite aware of the pony I intend to marry."

Not a question, that. Upper nodded quickly. "Bluey. It still surprises me, to think that pompous do-nothing stallion has become quite the firecracker of a mare. She's never idle." She fanned herself lightly. "Going to make the rest of us look bad."

Fancy smiled a little. Was Upper coming around on that? "She is doing her best to be the very best pony she can be. I am glad to support that."

"What a good stallion and partner you are." Upper nudged him on the shoulder with a hoof. "Almost makes me jealous, but I'll stay by my Jet Set's side. We're both so used to one another. The idea of swapping is terrifying, if we're being completely honest, which we are."

Fancy allowed a mild nod. "Good of you to think so..." Onwards to the meat of things. "She has big dreams."

"I did just say she was a busy mare, did I not?" Upper chortled, clearly happy with herself. "What machination does she have in mind, and how is it interfering with yours?"

"It's not interfering..." He paused to consider. "She wishes to offer other ponies the chance to do what she has done."

"Be a noble that is proactive?"

Fancy could but smile a moment. While true... "Nay, to have been born of one gender, and change path. She wishes to use the magic she's learned to assist ponies in that journey, if they so wish."

"Shouldn't you be worried?"

Fancy blinked at that. Upper looked properly concerned for him. "Why would I be?"

"Well, if she goes around turning stallions into mares, she'll probably start with the one closest to her." She looked Fancy up and down. "It would be a shame to lose you that way. Hm... Frilly Frock?"

Fancy colored at the imagined name of his mare self. "She only wishes to assist ponies who desire that. I have no particular want or need to be other than what I am." He nodded firmly. "I am quite suited to the stallion life."

"Keep her away from Jet Set." Upper Crust turned up her nose. "I'm not ready for... that. One mare and one stallion is the way I prefer it, dear."

Fancy chuckled softly. "Does Jet Set have any wish for that to happen?"

"Do you think he might?!" gasped Upper Crust with obvious horror at the idea. "He never mentioned it to me. Did he whisper to you? You simply must tell me! I'm his wife, I deserve to know these things."

"Not a word," assured Fancy. "Jet Set seems quite comfortable as the pony he is and has been. This isn't about me, or you, or yours. Other ponies, many commoners, lack the resources to even consider trying what Blue managed for herself. She wants to share that, with them."

"Oh."

Things were quiet a moment. Was Upper considering it? Fancy couldn't be sure. "You understand now?"

Upper shrugged gently. "If a common stallion wants to be a common mare, I suppose that's no real problem... I don't think she'll have many nobles asking for it. Most of us are happy as we are." She waved a hoof between herself and Fancy. "You know that's true."

Fancy considered a brief moment with a hm. "You're not wrong..." Most of the upper class he dealt with had comfortable egos and sense of self worth that they were quite pleased with exactly how they were, minus perhaps trying to work off a few pounds from a few too many cakes. "She will help the stallions, yes, and the mares."

Upper blinked dumbly. "Pardon?"

"The stallions and the mares?"

"Why would the mares, dear, need help becoming mares? They're mares, it's right there, in the title!" She threw a hoof wide, confusion clear on her face. "You've gone and lost me entirely, Fancy."

Fancy chuckled softly at that misunderstanding. "No, no... of course not, Upper Crust. Mares who fancy themselves better stallions, I should imagine."

Upper began to color vividly. "Obscene!" she sputtered, mind likely flooded with unclean things. "Are there mares that lost they would even consider?"

"I am told this is the case." He raised a hoof to his chin. "But if it can be addressed with proper decorum and in a fitting setting, that would be best, would it not?"

"I suppose so..." She shook her head as if to free it of unwanted images. "Still, seriously... Why would... I don't understand."

"I can't say I personally understand either." He set a hoof on his chest. "But then, I wouldn't understanding being short on bits either."

"Yet that is a thing some poor souls must endure," allowed Upper with a sigh, though her expression warmed. "You are so good at explaining these things, Fancy. I feel... closer to it. Very well, if your mare can help others fill that yawning void in their lives, well, then good."

Fancy felt a tension abate. Upper Crust, at least, would not shun him for being involved. "Lovely. I'm helping her get the proper venue, where this can be done with proper framing and care. Such an... extreme thing must be handled with all due caution."

"I can only imagine!" she almost shrieked, but she got her control back. "Pardon... Such a dramatic thing. Done without care? You'd be no more than an especially loathesome ruffian. Why... I struggle to imagine why, but if a pony wants to... do... that..." She wobbled a hoof in the air. "There'd be quite a bit to go over with them, and things to be arranged. The, hm, physical part is the slightest of it, really."

"Really," echoed Fancy in agreement, his expression only brightening. "You have exactly what I am concerned with in mind."

"We are cut from the same cloth, are we not?" She chortled softly, feeling the community bond with a fellow upper class pony. "Make sure your lady friend understands her spot in this. Flush with success, this is just the time for her to walk right into trouble. Keep her aimed properly."

"I will endeavor to do just that." He dipped his head at Upper Crust. "Thank you, for hosting my visit. It's been a delight."

"So good to see you again." She leaned up, pecking each of his cheeks. "You must stop by more often. Did I offend you that badly? Your lady... she confuses me... But you do not. You, I like... Do visit again."

---

"Princess Twilight Sparkle." The mirror hummed softly, implying it was trying its best to reach the named pony. It wasn't an instant thing. "Hm..." Blue inclined her head at the mirror. "Where is she...?"

"Hello." Ah, there she was, smiling. "How can I assist?"

"Ah, very good." She decided silently to not ask where Twilight had been that it took her so long to answer. "About your friend."

"Starlight? She's all better now, and maybe a bit wiser?" Twilight snorted softly. "Who am I kidding? She'll jump on the next interesting magical thing."

"Not that friend." Twilight had a lot of them, surely. "The yellow one. Pegasus? Flutter...?"

"--shy," completed Twilight. "What about Fluttershy?"

"Ah yes, very good." That was the one. "She was willing to experiment with the temporary stallion spell, was she not?"

Twilight inclined her head. "I had put it out of my mind after dealing with Starlight's situation. And I cast the permanent gender spell, so I was... satisfied. Why?"

"I was thinking of what you had found." Blue set a hoof on the glass that kept them apart. "If Miss Shy is willing, you could do it temporarily on them, to see if they have similar reactions, or not. Right now we only have one pony to assume with."

"That isn't good science," muttered Twilight in distant agreement. "I'll check with her and make sure that offer is still on the table." She faded from view without even a goodbye.

Blue was starting to get used to such improprieties. "You have much to learn." Would she get a chance to educate Twilight, when she drew closer to the throne? Probably Fancy, she admitted. He was the final stop for how to behave properly. "Putting that aside." She had other things to focus on!

---

"Fluttershy?" Twilight knocked lightly on her door. "Are you in?"

"Twilight?" came a muffled reply. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal her smiling face. "I wasn't expecting you. You startled me."

"Do I visit that rarely? Oh..." She perhaps remembered that Fluttershy's cottage actually was a rare destination. "You know what, sorry about that. I really should visit more often."

"It's alright." The two met in a gentle hug. "Good to see you. What brought you by?"

Twilight glanced past Fluttershy, spotting no other ponies in the area, or Discord. Just a few animals. "I was curious if you still wanted to try that spell." She rolled a hoof slowly. "The one that would make you a stallion, for a brief period of time."

"Oh!" Fluttershy's cheeks darkened. "Oh... um..." She danced in place nervously. "If it would help you."

Twilight turned one ear back. "I don't need it, but it may help prove a hypothesis Blue Belle and I have. If you are at all uncomfortable, forget it, and I won't even be slightly mad."

"N-no! I mean, yes. I mean..." Fluttershy glanced left and right before leaning in all too close. "Just a little while?"

"An hour at the most," assured Twilight with a gentle, if unsure, smile. "Want to give it a try?"

"Um..." The dance resumed. "Yes, please... I don't think I'd want that... forever... but I am curious. Oh, you must think I'm so strange, even thinking about that."

"Perish the thought." Twilight set a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. "Far from the first transformation I've experienced, and they're always so educational, if unbalancing. It would be a pleasure and honor to help you explore this if you want it."

"... Thank you," she finally got out, closing the door behind Twilight as she made her way to her couch and laid down across it. "Do you need me to do anything?"

"Just sit still, and tell me how you feel afterwards. Hold nothing back." Twilight unfurled a spell, floating in the air. She had studied it, of course, but having it available was handy when dealing with unfamiliar spells. "Let's do this."

"I'm ready."

And it began, Fluttershy becoming Flutterguy under Twilight's magical aptitude. Being the curious sort she was, she tried the spell-altering technique, to make the otherwise permanent spell collapse on itself, later. "How do you feel?"

He cleared his deeper voice. "Oh my..." he reached up, rubbing his throat. "I don't sound like I did before." There were similarities, to be certain, but at least part of it was the Poison Joke playing its, well, joke. "It's not a bad voice."

"It is not," gently agreed Twilight. "How do you feel?"

"Heavy in different places." Flutter rose to his hooves, shaking his rump a bit as he grappled with his new form. "Oh... It's like when we became breezies."

"Hm?"

"Everything feels new and different, even the parts I already had." He brought up a hoof, gazing at it. "It's just a hoof. I always had them, but these hooves feel different and strange." He pressed the hoof into his own face. "My face feels different, the hoof too. Together, a third new thing. It's all so... bewildering... but not bad, just... different."

"Did I miss something fun?" Discord appeared with a magical puff of sparkles. "Because I want a piece of..." He trailed off, looking at the transformed Fluttershy a moment before he turned around and grabbed Twilight by the shoulders. "What did you do?!"

Twilight squeaked as she was jostled about. "It's temporary!" she hurriedly assured.

Discord released Twilight to collapse. "A likely story." He twirled back to Fluttershy. "Are you alright? Want me to snap that?"

Fluttershy giggled, boyishly being a stallion. "Thank you, but Twilight said it should wear off soon. She did ask beforehoof, don't worry."

"I... see." He did not see. "But why? Fluttershy, my dear, you've always been... pleased just the way you are."

"I've always been, um... It was the only choice." He inclined his head. "And I don't like to make noise. I'm just experimenting. Probably, I'll get past it." He stepped down to the ground, tail whipping behind him. "How do I look?"

"Adorable." Discord huffed with a faint smile. "As if this little spell could change that."

"Aw." Fluttershy pressed his head up against an available hand, soon getting a little petting that he just didn't fight. "You say such nice things."

"Only for nice ponies." Discord sat, floating, in the air. "So long as you're happy, I'll be happy."

"Fluttershy?" Twilight had not fled. "How do you feel?"

"Hm?" He inclined his head at Twilight. "Like a pony, but also very different. I feel... energetic, like I want to go outside and do something, but I have Discord right here." He pointed at his floating friend. "I feel certain we can do something fun."

"Now we're talking." With a snap of his fingers, Twilight was casually banished, reappearing in her castle.

"I... see..." She made a few notes in her book. "Second male transformation: Highly energetic, suspect also slightly euphoric, but that was Fluttershy, she, or he, just wanted to have a very energetic tea party. I don't predict any complications." She dotted the end of the sentence with purpose to send later to Blue.

One mystery, slightly closer to resolved.

---

"It's wonderful!" Blue trotted up and down the central aisle that led to a large circular pad. "This is where the magic will happen." Quite literally. "And there, and there!" She pointed at each exit lane. "And..." She rushed off.

Fancy trailed after her, in no special rush. "I trust it meets your expectations?"

"Meets and exceeds!" Blue sat to clop her hooves together in a grand applause. "You've outdone yourself!"

"We're not done." Fancy curled on himself and out came a bundle of paper he offered towards Blue.

"What's this?" Her magic took hold of it and she began reading quickly. "What... Fancy, how did you make this?" She tapped at the collection of papers. "You do not... suffer this. How could you write a book about it?!"

Fancy leaned in and soon they were nose to nose, rubbing gently. "I visited a local library and found some literature. These are portions of those. I confess, I did not write them myself."

"Marvelous!" Blue slapped the papers down beside the central circle. "We have something to provide those considering, and to read after it is done, to adjust." She set a hoof on the side of her head. "Why did nopony suggest such reading to me? I was quite confused when I... took that step. I had to figure it through the hard way."

"Not quite." Fancy set an arm over her, drawing her close. "You were surrounded by supporting friends and family. But we can't assume every pony, or creature, that walks in here will have the same conditions."

"Too right!" gushed Blue, dancing in place. "You've really put a lot of thought into this. I'm shamed. I'm delighted. Can you be both of those things, because I am feeling it." She cleared her throat as she circled to face Fancy from the front. "I must say, you are already acting in the role of an exemplary stallion of mine."

"You will return the favor." He nodded softly. "When I find a path I wish to gallop along."

"With pleasure," gushed Blue. "It would be a pure delight, to be able to repay your kindness. But here. This..." She circled in place, taking in the room once more. "I really like the marble trim. So tasteful... But paints a hard line, that we will assist ponies getting past. But still a line... Once so fuzzy, we will bring it into sharp contrast, then step over it." She took a bounce forward, giggling.

"Speaking of lines we must step over." Fancy kept up with her with easy steps. "Lemon Drops says the plans are complete. We must stop by the castle and her office to have a look at them. Then we can begin inviting all the proper ponies."

"Invitations!" she almost screamed, clearing her throat afterwards and dropping her tone back down. "Yes, of course. This time we'll invite the parents properly!"

"Too right." Fancy nodded softly. "But before that, we'll have a look at Lemon Drops' plans. If they fit our requirements, we can proceed, together."

"Together." She touched her nose to his cheek, biting once at his fuzzy hide and nuzzling into the spot. It drew a soft happy noise from him, which only made her smile all the brighter. "Soon we will be wed."

"I'm looking forward to it." He smooched her nose in gentle reply to the nip he had gotten. "If you've reservations, this is the time to speak them."

"What?" Blue shook her head rapidly. "The only second thought I am entertaining is a foalish wish that we could just get it over with today! But, no, no no no. We will not do that. We will do this properly, with the blessings of our family and friends. Together..."

"Together."

And thoughts of doubts were put aside for some quality together time, noses rubbing, arms wrapped around one another, and near silent kisses that shouted to the world their unified love for one another.

They would soon start a new chapter of their lives, and both felt ready to face it.

Author's Note:

They are adorable together, just saying...

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Comments

[Halira]

"Yet that is a thing some poor souls must endure," allowed Jet with a sigh, though her expression warmed. "You are so good at explaining these things, Fancy. I feel... closer to it. Very well, if your mare can help others fill that yawning void in their lives, well, then good."

Think that might be a typo, shouldn't it be Upper?

[Prismfire Productions]

This whole story is one big mood...

[Emtu]

"Aw." He pressed his head up against an available hand, soon getting a little petting that Fluttershy just didn't fight. "You say such nice things."

Since when did Fluttershy have hands?

[David Silver]

10923166
He, Fluttershy, pressed up against Discord's hand, and was petted. It was adorably cute.

[David Silver]

10923025
Fix!

[Ninjadeadbeard]

Another sweet dawwww chapter.

[Admiral Stoic Rum]

Was Twilight being naive?

It also sounded like Fluttershy did like the guy bit.

Also, is trixe pregnant now?

That would be funny

[Gavier]

I don't predict any complications."

Oh, this doesn't sound like foreshadowing, not even one bit

[harts fire]

this chapter is really good heck the hole story is grate.

but that was Fluttershy, she, or he, just wanted to have a very energetic tea party.

pore Twilight is so clueless at times.

[Nez12213]

"... Thank you," she finally got out, closing the door behind Twilight as she made her way to her touch and laid down across it. "Do you need me to do anything?"

Couch. How has no one caught this? lol

Also Discord showing up was glorious. And Blue and Fancy really are nice together.

[David Silver]

10929840
Oh my, typos are NOT invited to this wedding.

[Venlinelle]

Understanding ponies being trans by comparing them to being poor is still one of the funniest things I've ever read.

[milzyywilzyy]

"Heavy in different places." Flutter rose to his hooves, shaking his rump a bit as he grappled with his new form. "Oh... It's like when we became flutters."

Did he mean breezies?

[David Silver]

11519007
Fix!