Rarity received a shock when she was invited to the spa by her friend Applejack. Knowing the farm pony's general distaste for anything girly, she begins to wonder why she would want to go to a place she hated. Rarity will soon discovers that this spa visit has a second purpose for Applejack and what is said will change the way they look at each other for the rest of their lives.
Originally written for a small contest in the Skype group I belong to, it evolved into a short story about friends and the secrets we keep from those around us. I want to thank heavily Amethyst Hope for editing as well as giving me the challenge of creating something I never thought I would write. I'd also like to thank Kitsune Risu and Cynewulf for helping me become a better writer and judging, in fairness, a well fought contest.
The prompt for the contest was 1500-2000 words, Rarity and Applejack go to the spa where a secret is revealed.
The lengths people will go for shipping these two is down right scary...
Wow that was intresting.
2316708 It's not a shipping story.
2476403 Well, okay, I might have been wrong in that aspect, but this is certainly an odd story.
2476582
Then you shouldn't have read it
2476583 Well, how was I supposed to know about the whole gender-switch spell thing.
Just kinda came outta nowhere for me. I don't hate it, I just find it...odd. Can't really find a better way to explain.
2476596 I hate "gender-swapped" stories. Really boring in my opinion.
2476599 Most ones I've read I've liked.
2476613 Meh, I just came here from "It's a Chaotic Life"
2476599 2476596 Hey guys, thanks for reading and commenting on my story. I noticed you both have issue with the pairing I created and the gender play I added to the story. My intention with this was never to change the genders to confuse people, in fact the gender swap was only to facilitate a complex situation.
Trans people have a hard time telling people about their true selves and for Applejack in this story to do so is an incredibly brave thing to do in the Trans community. The true point to this story is not the reveal of Applejack as male, but to have Rarity's reaction and the questions that go with this discovery.
My hope was for people to see this as something that can make or break people and friendships in the world. It may end bad, it may end good, but all I wanted Rarity to do was listen and I hope I accomplished that. Thanks again for the comments and I hope you keep reading my stories in the future.
2479791
I might.
But not this one.
First off I just want to say I'm not very good with words lol I have to say you did a pretty good job on this but I feel like you rushed it a little bit like it could have been just a little longer maybe? But idk that's just me lol and I seriously hope you make a sequal or at least continue with the whole apple "Jack" thing lol I think that was very different what you did a lot of people might not like it but I liked it
Take care and I look forward to reading more from you!
3899895 Thank you for the comment,
its been on my mind for a few weeks now to write another story involving these characters, but some things have placed themselves in the way so those will be dealt with first before i get to it.
Wow... A lot of this could be construed as really fucking transphobic. Plus part of it seems to imply Rarity is homophobic as well?
10001258
Agreed :(
When AJ said she was a trans mare, and the author started using he/him for her anyways, it really bugged me. And implying it was a "gender swap" instead of her just... y'know... being trans... big yikes.
There are some great trans pony stories out there, but there's a lot of authors that are cis/don't do any research on the topic before writing, and it kinda sucks to see so much misrepresentation on here.
Here I go rambling about trans pones again. Hope you have a lovely day commenter, trans rights
I found this story interesting but confusing.
It states Applejack to be a transmare - thus a pony born male that feels female - yet later it mentions a binder - something used typically by transmen. Also the story switches pronouns completely in a way making me feel... unwell - since it does not seem to pay respect to their true gender. (Sure if a pony looks male, male pronouns are allright at first, but as soon as it turns out AJ is a transmare it should - at least partially - swich back to female pronouns.
Being trans is not a gender-swap and indeed the author should have read and researched more about the topic before writing a story about it.
I don't feel offended, btw, even though I'm trans myself, just a little miffed.