Zephyrina Storm sat in her room. It was something she did every day, usually accompanied with slouching, sulking, or just pacing around the room, waiting to find some clarity on the constant problem that permeated her brain. Right now, she was looking at a small makeup mirror on a table strewn with supplies. Zipp had tried them, and every time she did, she had to ask herself one question.
Was she really happy?
Happier in terms of her body, sure, but there was something about the name she’d chosen— Zephyrina— that made her feel a little bit glum inside.
It was flowery, like her sister’s, and ponies were treating it as if it were normal. But that was exactly the problem, it was too flowery, too long, and just a touch too feminine. It was no surprise to her or anypony else, that she insisted she be called—
“Hey, Zipp!”
That was Pipp, busting into her room for some royal business or another. It was probably for the royal ceremony, probably Pipp reminded Zipp to not screw it up. I can’t keep living a lie, she thought, regardless. Well, sometimes she just wanted to talk, but now was not one of those times, it usually wasn’t with Pipp.
But still, Zipp turned to Pipp’s voice, and was immediately assaulted by a barrage of flash photography. You’d think that Pipp had got that phone yesterday instead of a few months ago.
Pipp got up close to Zipp, and showed her all the photos which Zipp didn’t care all too much about.
“You’re practically a ready-made Instamare model. You’re going to do so well at the performance tonight!”
Well, Zipp couldn’t care less, but she had to let her younger sister have the moment.
“Anyways, Mommy sent me to tell you that the wires need outfitting again.” Pipp fluffed out her wings, uselessly albeit, but sometimes you just wanted to stretch your appendages. “We’re both growing mares and she wants to make sure you look extra beautiful today.”
Right, Queen Haven was supportive, but it was to an almost insane degree. Zipp had to tell her multiple times that she didn’t want to get all dressed up in frilly clothes and powdery makeup. She’s started listening… mostly.
“I mean, beautiful may be one way to describe it,” Zipp muttered.
“Oh! I can do your makeup, I’ve been getting real good at it!”
“Pipp—“ Zipp attempted to inturrupt.
“Can’t wait to start appearing to the pegasi like we’re flying again!”
“Pipp!” Zipp responded, a little more forcefully.
“And— what?” Pipp finally responded.
“Aside from the wires being a terrible idea, as they’re going to get crossed, snap, or some other disastrous thing someday, as well as being a flat-out lie, I don’t want you to do any of that stuff Pipp. Sure, take a picture of me and post it on Ponybook or Instamare, or whatever, but I don’t want makeup or any of that.”
“But ever since—“ Pipp attempted to retort.
“Since I came out as a mare, yes… I know you all fully support this and all that, but there’s just been something bugging me.”
Pipp, shocked to silence for probably the first time in her life, responded, “What?”
“What is a mare? I never feel like one that fits in with all the others. I’m not into marelike things, logically, I know that not all mares are like that, but it always feels like they’re into things I’m not. I know that this is the right identity, I feel better in my skin, knowing people treat me as a mare, but I wonder if somehow, my calculations were wrong. I don’t see any mares so into flying,” Zipp said, all at once yet slow and deliberate.
Pipp sat down on her haunches, tipping her head in such a way that her normally fluffed up hair fell flatly across her face. She was silent for a moment, all the while as Zipp started to sink lower and lower in her own sitting position.
Pipp put away her phone, to wherever she usually put it when it wasn’t glued to her hoof, and sat down next to Zipp.
“Zipp, if there’s one thing I’ve learned while on social media…”
Zipp immediately perked up. It was unlike Pipp to put somepony other than herself first.
“Why—“ Zipp began, but Pipp busted in with her own interruption in response.
“We’ll get to that. Now, I’ve been exposed to so many stallions and mares, and even after seeing all their stunning profiles, I’ve learned that there’s more than one way to reinvent yourself.”
“That’s fine and all, but how does that apply?” Zipp responded.
“I’ve seen trans ponies who are more in-tune with their birth sex, more in-tune with their identity, most are somewhere in between. The long and short is that you don’t have to be a feminine trans mare. As long as your good with being one, that’s all the matters, and you’ll always be my sister.” Pipp said, pulling Zipp close into a hug.
“I suppose, but will other ponies actually be able to tell the difference?” Zipp responded, trying her very best to break free.
“If you tell them, they will. As long as you feel like this is the right identity for you, you’ll be perfectly fine.”
Zipp gazed beyond Pipp to the empty hallway behind her. “That makes me feel a little better, but once again, what’s in it for you?”
“Well…” Pipp began, “I’m glad you asked! This is a very important royal announcement, so don’t throw it this time. It is instrumental that the public actual thinks we can fly. The royal tradition deserves to be upheld, what will happen if it’s not? What will the common ponies think?”
“It probably wouldn’t be that bad, but I didn’t have much choice in the matter,” Zipp responded.
“Also, come on, Zipp, I need to update my Instamare feed,” Pipp told Zipp, holding her phone to take a selfie.
“Don’t pictures with me always get a ton of dislikes?” Zipp asked. “You know…” she gestured vaguely at the air.
“Who cares what they think. Say Zephyr!”
Zipp complied, and soon, Pipp was pulling away from Zipp, and prepared to upload the photos.
“It’s gonna say, ‘Preparing for the royal ceremony with my sister’!” Pipp said as she started to head out of the room.
“Hey, Pipp,” Zipp said.
“What is it?”
Zipp absentmindedly looked at Pipp. “Thanks.”
Pipp nodded, then waved with a wing and left the room.
I fear this story will probably get dislikes from that crowd, but for what it is, it's a sweet little story that I enjoyed, even if it was a bit simple and lacking in detail.
Edit: Called it, stay mad bozos
Awww, as a trans gal myself I feel this on another level, this was beautifulll Awhh
Lovely, short but heartwarming story, and about one of my favorite headcanons. Trans Zipp, my beloved.
11182154
Considering I said something about that in the story, I figure this. I just wanted to write something cute.
Why are people disliking all of the comments? The story is good.
11182920
Because there will be people who just vehemently dislike anything about a trans story.
This is meta, in a sad way
11182998
That was the intention.Aww, this was really cute, and a pretty good message too. There's more than one way to be a person, and Pipp for all her flaws is a really good sister.
Miserable little pile of- I'm so sorry.
It's fluff, and i like it. kudos fam. I'm giving it a like if only to defend from the inevitable downvotes.
I will say this was a pretty nice story and listen don't worry about the dislikes you're getting you're doing a good job keep up the good work
Aw, this is cute! Love it :D
Also made me feel more secure in my own gender identity, so thanks <3
(Now it's my turn to get disliked ;3)
11183230
Might as well embrace the inevitable.
11183236
I accept and welcome my demise. Come forth, haters.
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It is unfortunate. A part of that I feel is that a vast majority of the trans people that get the most attention put on them are the worst examples in the community. Not helping is the fact that it is heavily crammed into everything to an obsessive degree. So much so that a lot of people are quickly losing their patience with it. Only adding fuel to the fire is that some groups are pushing it to the point that it is almost looking more like a cult than a movement, especially when it comes to kids. It's getting to the point that if a girl/boy showcases tomboy/tomgirl traits, they are immediately labeled trans which isn't fair to cis or trans people and further hurts the community's image.
Good story
Im thinking im trans as well, and this was nice to read and reaffirm these feelings
anyhoo
any down votes i get im considering upvotes
11183611
Hopefully we look back in disdain at people like you, the transphobes, the homophobes etc., because what you are, is a relic of a time that should've been left in the past, with your hatred and idiocy.
I haven't watched G5 at all so I don't know these characters. That said, this seems like yet another low-bar "I'll talk about gender issues!" story that's become popular on this site over the past year or so.
Is it a bad story? No, it's clean. It's been edited. The character voices are distinct. The production quality is good enough. But like most of these stories it kind of reads like a Chick tract or one of those Very Special Television Episodes that may as well just be somebody looking at the camera saying something like "Say no to drugs!" and then expecting that to somehow be a deep and compelling message.
This isn't a story so much as it's a lecture. Nothing's happening here. We, the reader, are being informed about a social message and it's just not very interesting. Substitute out whatever gender issues message is going on here for "just say no to drugs" or "be nice to fat people" or whatever other social message you want to randomly pick out of a hat, and this story wouldn't be any different. And depending on the message, I suspect that lot of the people who are upvoting it now would immediately turn around and say that it's fairly cringe if it happened not to be a message they already cared about.
This is wholesome and sweet. Also:
> What is a mare?
A JOVIAL LITTLE PONY OF FRIENDSHIP!!! BUT ENOUGH TALK, HAVE AT YOU!!
Sweet short story
Gotta admit, I don't think the author did a good job when they tried telling a story while also showing their idealism, but, wow, there're so many dislikes coming from total strangers in the comments!
Can I have my fair share of dislikes, if I call those tranphobes "silly fillies"?
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I mean, I’m right here, you can just use ‘you’ when discussing this story and talking to me.
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Sorry, just a habit.
Meaning what? The ultimate trans question I never got the answer to. How do you treat someone as a gender?
If it's relying on stereotypes, that's backwards. If it's pretending the body is not real, that's impossible. If it's "just" names and pronouns that link to nothing material, then why does it even matter? The proposition never coalesces into something coherent.
Loved this story.
BRING FORTH THE DISLIKES!
I see you already saw the reading by my friends pony and wolf
Yay! A gender themed story 😍 I'm all for headcannons that she's non binarynor trans, and I love her)them for that.
I even joke about how transformer helped me realize I'm asexual, ponies made me discover I'm non binary 🥰
Can't say I've seen a ponyfic about a GNC trans character before. Kudos. :)
💚