Fluttershy the Transcolt

by Mintyluc

Chapter Six: Friendship is magic

Author's Note:

This chapter is in the point of view of Twilight. About halfway down, I put a line of three asterisks in their own paragraph, which denotes a time lapse. Enjoy!

Applejack and I walked the perimeter of Sweet Apple Acres, trying to make sense of our thoughts and feelings about Fluttershy. For a start, I answered questions that Applejack had while she offered a less analytic opinion for me.

“So, Fluttershy wasn't born as a colt, but she just identifies as one.” Applejack asked me, confirming the information I’d given her. I didn't understand why the idea was so difficult for her to realize, but I didn't mention my thoughts and was patient with her.

I nodded, “Precisely. Like I said inside, it’s rare, but happens.”

Applejack sighed, blowing the bangs of her mane off to the side. “I don’t know Twi. I mean, if that’s what Fluttershy feels then great, but why are some ponies born like that? It hardly seems fair!” she asked, exasperated.

I nodded again, “Some ponies are born like that; it’s just another part of them. And no, it isn’t fair.”

Applejack stopped walking, almost bumping into me. She kept her eyes hidden from me until now, revealing a few tears welling up. “Poor Fluttershy. Has she always felt like this? She must be so uncomfortable in her own body!”

“I don’t think we’ll ever really understand how Fluttershy truly feels.” I whispered. I paused for a moment, enjoying the silence with Applejack. I closed my eyes and tried to picture Fluttershy as a colt. I suppose it was feasible, but I wished there was a way we could somehow give her a more masculine cutie mark.

I opened my eyes and looked over Applejack’s family farm. All of our six families had come from different places and understand a different way of living. In a way, Fluttershy’s trans-identity was just another way of living. How could there be anything wrong with that? “I don’t know how long she’s felt like this. It could be a recent development, it could be something she’s felt her whole life.” I said shrugging, then sat down across from Applejack.

“Well, does that mean we have to call her ‘he’ now?” she asked me.

I nodded, still deep in thought. “I assume with time that advancment will come. She also might come up with a more masculine name for herself that she will ask us to call her.” Applejack nodded, tears still in her eyes. I suppose she felt such deep pain for Fluttershy, probably mixed with embarrassment for how she’s acted towards her earlier. I felt bad about what I said to her as well. I don’t think I was being compassionate enough, especially in such a vital part of Fluttershy’s life.

After all that I’ve learned from my friends about friendship, I felt like I had failed Fluttershy when she needed us all the most. I looked down and closed my eyes, a small tear making its way out of my eye.

Applejack came closer to me, placing a hoof delicately on my back. “Twi, it’s okay. I know what you’re thinking. Fluttershy will forgive us. We were a little too brash, true, but I don’t suppose everyone can react like Pinkie Pie does.” I laughed out loud at Applejack’s comment, allowing a few more tears to fall. There was something about Applejack that made me feel…warm.

“Thanks, AJ. I know it’s selfish to be upset, but I’m just upset because I probably hurt Fluttershy, especially when she was so vulnerable.”

“Like I said, she’ll forgive us with time. We’re friends, and I aint never heard of good friends goin and givin up on each other.”

I looked up and smiled at Applejack, her cute smile glowing. "You’re right. Fluttershy has never showed us anything but kindness, accepting us for all that we are.”

Applejack nodded, laughing to herself, “That she has.” Applejack took a double take at me and smiled at me. I smiled back. Applejack looked…well, beautiful. I closed my eyes and nuzzled my head into her chest, smiling as I did so. I heard Applejack sigh with contentment.

“Nothing has changed, Twi.” Applejack noted.

I nodded, “We’ll all be okay. And we’ll be with Fluttershy all throughout her transition.” I heard Applejack stop breathing.

“Her what?

"Transition. From mare to colt." Applejack nodded, absorbing the silence.

* * *

After a moment of Applejack and I enjoying the serene silence after the storm that happened inside her house, we decided it would be best if we went back in to say our apologies to Fluttershy, we at least owed that much to her.

As we trotted back inside, we spoke quietly of how we would calm Rainbow Dash if she blew up again. Applejack opened the door and all eyes were on us. Pinkie Pie was happy to see us again, of course. Rainbow Dash looked up smugly, not sure if we were friend or foe anymore. Fluttershy was close with Rarity who only glanced at us, and then continued brushing Fluttershy's hair, with the intention to calm her.

Fluttershy looked at us both, happy to see us again, but hesitant. Applejack, now chickening out at speaking first looked at me pleading with her eyes.

I took a step forward, then sat down. "I'm really sorry Fluttershy." I looked around the room, "And to everyone else. I wasn't being compassionate enough and it isn't fair." Rainbow Dash exchanged a look with Rairty. Rarity smiled and Rainbow Dash looked relieved at my words.

I suddenly felt Applejack by my side. "Fluttershy, I'm sorry too. Twilight talked to me all about being a transpony and I understand better now. My frustration wasn't with you, it was with myself." Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and smiled. Pinkie Pie jumped up to us and hugged us both, without saying a word. Rarity stopped brushing Fluttershy's mane and genuinely smiled at us both. Fluttershy looked up at us both, but she was upset.

"Fluttershy, what's wrong?" I asked suddenly. After apologizing, why would she still be sad?

"Did you two think I was mad at you?" My ears peaked down as I blushed.

Applejack and I looked at each other and grinned sheepishly, "Well...yeah, sugarcube." Applejack said, laughing.

Pinkie Pie laughed at Applejack's reply, "You sillies! She was more mad at Rainbow Dash than anyone else for exploding at you two!" I looked over at Fluttershy and Rairty, who nodded,

"It's not your fault for not having knowledge, Applejack dear. And Twilight, you were just processing the information given to you as you normally do. It's your nature."

Rainbow Dash nodded, then took a step up to me and Applejack, "If anything, I should be apologizing to you two." Applejack and I looked at each other shocked, then back at Rainbow Dash, "I wasn't fair. I was being overly protective of Fluttershy's feelings and hurt them in the process of doing so, doing exactly what I was trying to avoid." I let out a brief laugh, looking around the room once more.

For the most part, everyone was smiling pretty wide,

"So, we're all okay?" I asked. Fluttershy smiled and nodded, her eyes closed.

"As long as everyone is okay with Fluttershy, yeah. Don't see why not." Rainbow Dash pointed out.

Pinkie Pie hugged me and Applejack again, "Why wouldn't we be?" Pinkie Pie asked laudly, "We're all best friends! We have to learn to forgive each other!" I nodded with Applejack.

And just like that, we were all okay. It was all going to be okay, just like Applejack had said. Our friendship was strong, that much I knew. This was just another brief trial that would test us, and we had all passed. Now we needed to be there for Fluttershy, more than ever.

Comments

[Miki]

Glad to see you're back Luke.

[Mintyluc]

2574802 I am doing better now yes :) Hope you enjoy the update!

[Mintyluc]

2574872 It's good to be back, Regi

2574859 Thank you, I'm glad you like it!

[Krass McWriter]

Yay, update!

It's short, but better than nothing. Keep going, carry on, moar!

[Mintyluc]

1963228 Thank you for the extended response, I love reading comments like this! I think in the first half of your comment you're actually very correct! Not everyone that originally identifies as trans is in fact trans. It is just a fact of the matter that some people DO go through that sort of phase. Hell, I'm FTM myself and before I realized that I thought I was bigender/genderqueer. But I wasn't. Now, I'm not saying everyone that is trans is going through a phase or is confused, but I'm sure it has happened somewhere. And it is a huge life change, not meant to be taken lightly.

And while reading back, it does look like I assigned each character a reaction. Applejack the uninformed and apprehensive,Twilight the overly logical and in disbelief, Rainbow Dash the one protective of the one coming out which then turns into anger, Rarity the one that is the voice of reason, and Pinke Pie the one that accepts her right off the bat. Typing it out like that makes the story seem very black and white, but I can assure you, my intention was not to assign each character a different response, I just thought moreso about how I thought the characters themselves would react as opposed to dealing with all the general reactions that come someone's way. It just sort of...worked out like that.

It's intersting you don't like that I defined transgenderism in the summary because the reason I put it there was because someone was mad that I didn't! Because then of course I'm "assuming everyone knows what it is" or something of that nature, I forget the poster's original words.

[Mintyluc]

1968918 Thank you for such a thorough response! :) I'm glad you think my character portrayal is (almost) top notch

I agree, first person is definitely the hardest to write in. Ironically, I'm writing about a dozen novels right now and a good chunk of them are first person. I found it appropriate for this piece so that the reader would really get to delve into Fluttershy's feelings. If I were to say, be writing for a strictly FTM audience, maybe 3rd person is appropriate. And you do have a good point about chapter five losing the 1st person, POV. I think I was more worried about getting a good rounding scene involving anyone than staying true to the POV. I'll make sure to keep the POV in mind from now on

And I'm glad you like my story! That is the entire goal here!

[Espeon_in_the_Morning]

I really liked how you did this chapter. You definitely characterized Twilight very well (and it is mostly Twilight's character that matters in this one). The one thing that bothered me is that you gave no explicit indication that the chapter was in Twilight's perspective.

[moonlit scribe]

So... was that TwiJack in the middle there? Please... please let it be TwiJack....

[peace corps general]

TWIJACK TWIJACK TWIJACK!!

[Twilight--Paladin]

TWIJACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!