Drifting took a low, weak breath before glancing up over her book, pretending not to notice Branding standing there about twenty feet away. Peering out from behind one of the book cases. In possibly the worst attempt at hiding she'd ever seen. She looked down at her book and sighed.

She could do this. She would do this. It was for her, not Branding, anyway. Besides, she didn't want to hate anymore. Hating hurt. She flipped the page and saw a little movement ahead of herself. She looked up and saw Branding making her way forward. The other mare stopped, as if she was approaching a easily startled bunny. She then gulped. “H-hey Drifting. I... err... I...”

“Yes?” Drifting asked, before closing her book and placing it on the desk.

“I uhh... I'm really sorry! I really, really, really am. I was just really mad and I over reacted and I'm so sorry!”

She gave a soft, deep sigh before nodding. “Okay, I forgive you.”

Branding looked shocked, her mouth falling open. She then gulped. “Wait, really?”

“Yes, I forgive you. I... I'm still hurt, but I don't hate you anymore. I just... I want to let it go, you know? I'm done being mad over it.”

Branding grinned and slid into the seat across from her. “Really? That's great! So, umm, wanna hang out this weekend?”

Drifting blinked and paled, shaking her head rapidly. “O-oh buck no!”

“W-what?”

“I... I think there's been a mistake,” she said with a shake of her head. “Branding, what happened... I forgive you. I'm not mad any more. But I do not trust you in the slightest. I don't feel safe around you, at all. In fact, if we weren't in a public place and the librarian wasn't over there, I wouldn't even be sitting here with you.”

Branding blinked, before her eyes narrowed. “What? But you said you forgave me. Was that just you bucking with me?”

“No, I do, but...” Drifting hugged herself. “You're... scary. I mean, you're a fire mage, for one. Last time you burned my dress off. What's to stop you from hurting me, next time?”

“I-I'd never do that!”

“Really? And if you just 'get mad' again? How... many times are you allowed to 'get mad' until I'm allowed to not want to be alone with you?”

“Listen, Drifting. I'm trying to be nice,” she snapped, slamming a hoof down on the table. She cringed when she was shushed by the librarian. “What do you want from me?”

Drifting gulped and took a slow breath. “You... I... I want you to...” She looked at the mare. “I want you to... get help.”

“Help?”

“See a therapist or... or something.”

“What? You're ridiculous! I don't need a therapist. One little outburst and you want me to see a therapist?”

“You stripped me naked in public. You literally burned off the clothes on my back because I wanted to just be friends. You hurt and humiliated me. If that's not an anger problem, if that's just the kind of pony you are, I don't want to be around you. I... I won't be around you.”

“Well, maybe I don't want to be your friend. I don't need somepony who's always bossing me around.”

Drifting blinked and perked up. “Wait, so you'll give up? That's great! So I'll see you around, okay?”

Branding blinked, her mouth falling open. “I... you... fine! Whatever!” she snapped, before turning and storming off.

Drifting let out a sigh of relief. Then cringed when she say the librarian glaring at her. She quickly looked down at her homework and prepared to get back to work.

------

Drifting groaned as she collapsed onto her bed.

Finally, it had been a tough couple of days, but the weekend was here. She had two whole days to get all of her homework done and then do whatever she wanted. She could--

There was a knock on her door. She groaned and slowly oozed out of her bed, before slinking across it. She swore, whoever it was better be normal and not light her on fire.

She opened the door to a very strange, very pink pony.

Who erupted a confetti cannon in her face, making her topple back with a shriek. She flailed her hooves helplessly in the air, confused and disoriented. She was under attack! Assassins! Fluffy pink assassins! With cannons. “Don't kill me!” she shrieked. She then realized the pink pony was jumping around her room, singing a song.

“-- and make sure nopony gets lit on fire hit with a smore truth or dare uncomfortably kisses the wrong colt eats too much cotton candy and gets sick in the trash can slumber partyyyyyyyy!” the mare cried, before standing on her back hooves, flinging more confetti into the air and standing over the prone mare, panting slightly.

Drifting just whimpered, her legs pulled tight to her body. “P-p-p-please don't h-hurt me...”

“What? Hurt you? I'm not going to hurt you, silly billy,” the pink mare said with a little giggle, before dropping an envelope on her stomach. “I'm here to invite you to Twilight's slumber party tomorrow, silly!”

Drifting blinked a few times and slowly opened the envelope. Sure enough, there was a letter. She couldn't help but admire how precise it was. Directions to the observatory, a date, time, who the invitation was from. But it didn't explain the scary pink pony in the slightest. “She uhhh... wanted you to give me this?”

“Uh huh! She said you'd need all the help in the world to make friends and she wanted to see if we could come! Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack are busy, but Rainbow and I will be there! She said I should definitely come and meet you before hoof, so you have time to prepare!”

Drifting squeaked and gave a little nod. She kept watching the mare but... something was so off here. When the mare talked, she'd wiggle her hooves, or seemingly walk off, walk behind something, then appear behind something else that was across the room. She couldn't see the horn though. Truly the pink pony had to be the most amazing of mages. Like Twilight. She nodded slowly. “I uhhh... thanks. Rainbow?”

“Oh, and Starlight will be there, too! It's going to be her first slumber party, too! Well, at least with us. I don't know if she's had one before but it's going to be so awesome! We'll have pin the tail on the dragon and fruit punch pillow fights and smores and--”

The mare seemed to be stuck in some kind of loop, so Drifting slowly got to her hooves, nodding along with her. “Really. Uh huh. You don't say. Amazing. Peculiar. Wow. Cool. Much wow. Such passion,” she mumbled as she flipped open her book. “I... do have a lot of homework and--”

“Okie dokie lokie!” she said before giving Drifting a cupcake, inserting it directly into her mouth and somehow bypassing the lips and teeth. The mare's eyes bulged.

She coughed, hacked and swallowed. “P-please don't do that.”

“Sorry! Bye bye!” she said happily before galloping off.

Drifting gulped, squeaking softly. What had she gotten herself into?

------

Drifting took a nervous step forward and gently reached out to knock on the door of the observatory. “H-hello?” she called out softly.

The door opened and a light purple pony stared back at her. “Drifting?”

“Y-yes? Are, ummm, are you... Rainbow?”

The mare blinked, then shook her head with a light chuckle. “No, I'm Starlight Glimmer.” The door opened fully. “I'm Princess Twilight's student.”

Drifting blinked, then squeaked. “W-wait, you are? I-I'm so sorry, I didn't have anything to do with those rumors and--”

The other mare raised a hoof and shook her head. “Relax. I've heard about them, but Twilight hasn't. There's no need to bother her about it.” She then sighed. “Besides, there's no need to worry about a couple of rumors, okay? They're just silly ponies gossiping about whatever seems interesting at the time. Come on in, Twilight's been running herself ragged trying to get everything ready.”

Drifting sighed, trotting in and looking around. She then looked towards Starlight. “Can... I ask you a question?”

“Hmmm? Of course.”

“Do... you uhhhh... do you know why she's taken such an... interest in me?”

“Oh, guilt most likely.”

Drifting cringed. “O-oh. Because of what I... said and...”

“A little bit. But... well, you don't have many friends either, right?”

“Not really, no. I'm not really... good at it.”

“She doesn't allow that. She's... well, she likes to spread friendship where ever she goes.” Starlight blinked and lowered her gaze. “Even to ponies who don't deserve it.” She coughed into her hoof. “But, really, you're in no real danger. You'll probably get a few dozen lectures or so, but it's not so bad. You get used to it.”

“She filled up my room with notes. I think she knows more about my... condition than I know about my condition.” Drifting blinked. “Do, errrr, do you know about my condition?”

“Yes. She talked to me about it after your first meeting. She was a tad confused,” Starlight said with a shake of her head. “I've met a few ponies like you, but I'm not aware of all the inner workings. I'll be honest, I don't particularly care. If you say you're a mare, you're a mare. So you don't need to worry about me or anypony else being a danger to you.”

“O-oh,” Drifting said, before glancing over. “Is it uhhh... obvious? I mean that... I'm... not... a hundred percent?”

“Not at all. Perhaps if somepony went searching for it. But you look fine.” She then blinked. “Although, I must admit I did not expect to see you for a while. You're the first one here aside from those two.” She motioned towards Twilight and Pinkie who were setting up decorations.

Drifting shuddered. “The terrifying pink mare...”

“She's good, honest! She just takes a little getting used to. I am a little concerned she scared off your friends, though. She--”

There was a few heavy bangs on the door.

“Oh, that must be them.” She trotted to the door and pulled it open.

“Aw yeah everypony! Rainbow's here!” a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane yelled as she blurred in, circling the room once. She then landed in front of Drifting. “So, you're Twilight's new research project?”

“Rainbow!” Starlight hissed.

“Oh, I'm just kidding,” she said with a wave of her hoof. “So, are you?”

“Y-yes ma'am. I'm Drifting,” she squeaked softly, lowering to the ground as she stared up at the pony. She'd seen this kind of mare before. The way she stood, the tall, the muscle, the confidence. She was about to get stuffed into a locker, she knew it.

“Cool! Twilight said you're all into that girly stuff and if I had anything I wanted to give, should just toss it to you.” She then disappeared.

Moments later Drifting shrieked as a bag the size of a small wagon landed on her. A moment later two more bags landed on her. She whimpered.

“Rainbow! What in the world is all this?” Starlight shrieked. “Where did you get it from? Why do you have it?” Starlight asked.

“From Rarity, tons of stuff,” the pegasus said with a chuckle.

“A-a little... help... please...” Drifting begged.

“There must be ten tons here! Why did Rarity give you these?”

“Oh, don't be over dramatic, there aren't that many. Over the years Rarity has tried to get me into a LOT of different dresses, gowns and frankly things I don't care to wear.”

“F-feels like... m-more than ten t-tons...”

“And you kept them?”

“Well, yeah. She said I didn't have to wear them, but you can't just toss out a gift like that. She went to a lot of work and all that, it'd have been rude.”

“N-no help? O-okay... just... just gonna lay here... go into the light...”

Starlight shook her head, then blinked. “Wait a minute... you're REGIFTING THEM?”

“Well, yeah, I'm not ever going to wear them. There's LACE in there. A bucking maid outfit! Like, really? Does she even know me? I think I got just about everything but the gala outfits. Those were just cool enough to keep.”

“G-grandma? Is that y-you? Oh... I missed you. And Bun Buns! M-mommy and daddy told me you went off to a special bunny farm...”

“Rainbow, you can't just do that! It's rude!”

“What? I'm not going to wear them and he wants them, what do I care? See, he's happy.”

“She, Rainbow. And she's not--” Starlight blinked. “Drifting? DRIFTING!” The unicorn galloped around the bags towards the quickly conscious losing mare.

------

Drifting did not know what to make of Rainbow. On the one hoof, she had almost killed her, was most definitely a jock and therefore the most likely to beat the crud out of her or stuff her in a locker, kept calling her a he and ALMOST KILLED HER.

On the other hoof, dresses. And gowns. And night gowns. And cute little outfits. And soft adorable pillows. And long socks, the kind that only grown up mares in special magazines were supposed to wear. And lil stuffed animals. And casual wear. And hats.

It was a very, very, very tough decision to make, walking that fine line. She decided on, for now, passable acceptance. She hugged her newest stuffed teddy bear to her chest(it was that or wear one of the teddies, but she knew that could wait until she got home and wasn't in the company of a princess. Besides, it would have made things awkward.) “So, uhhh, you're Rainbow then?”

“Mmmm hmm. Rainbow Dash. But I'm sure you've heard of me. Newest member of the Wonderbolts?”

“Oh, that's the hoofball team from Manehatten, right?”

Rainbow's face contorted in horror, then looked to Starlight. “You... you didn't... p-put her up to this, did you?”

“What? No!” Starlight said quickly.

Drifting squeaked, hugging her teddy. “W-what? No, I-I'm sorry! I just don't keep up to date on the sports. Is it an archery team?”

“The flying teams,” Twilight offered helpfully.

“Ohhhh, the blue ponies with lightning on their flanks? I've seen them!” Drifting added helpfully. The look that washed over the pegasus' face made the unicorn cringe. “I-I mean... errr... they're nice? I mean, I wouldn't wanna fly around in outfits like that and wow I am not helping, am I?” She yelped as Starlight yanked her away from the blue pony who seemed to be smoking slightly.

“Let's go over here and make sure nothing is broken, shall we? Oh, your friends arrived while you were unconscious!” Starlight said as she quickly dragged the mare across the observatory. Neon and Aeon were sitting at a pair of chairs in the corner, away from the others. Aeon looked a little nervous. Neon looked dizzy, but that was likely because he seemed to be having a lot of fun in the spinning chair.

“I don't think anything is broken,” Drifting said softly. “It doesn't hurt to walk.”

“Heyyyyyy, Driftinggggg,” Neon said before falling out of the chair. “Cool party...”

“I''ll just leave you three here while I go make sure Rainbow doesn't try to kill you for that... earlier comment,” the mare said before quickly galloping back towards the other.

“She uhhh... she's exaggerating, right?” Drifting asked softly. Rainbow looked annoyed, but she didn't look too mad. She hoped. She then glanced to her friends. “So, ummm, why are you two over here? Why not with the others?”

“That's the princess and her friends. It's... a tiny bit intimidating,” Aeon said, poking her hooves together. “We... didn't really know what to say...”

“... Ask Twilight for a lecture. On anything,” Drifting said flatly. “Oh, I know!” the unicorn grinned. “Princess?” she called out.

Twilight glanced up. “Hmmm? Yes, Drifting?”

“Could you come here for a moment, please? My friends want to talk with you.”

Aeon eeped and waved her hooves frantically, shaking her head. “N-no need princess, I'm fine. We're fine. It's all fine. How are you?”

“Eeeoughhhh...” Neon said softly.

“Oh, it's no problem,” the princess said with a nod before trotting over. “What do you need?”

“Well, my friends have never been to a party before and they have no idea of the proper protocols,” Drifting said quickly. “Could you--”

“Can I?” the princess asked with an excited squeak before her horn flashed. A projector and screen appeared besides her. “Now, I have a short twenty minute presentation on the subject matter I'll be happy to show you. Pinkie helped me make it!”

Drifting grinned wickedly. She wondered if she was just a little evil?

“Also, since this is your first slumber party, Drifting, you should join in too!”

The smile vanished and somehow appeared on Aeon's face.

------

Drifting struggled to keep her eyes open as she leaned again Aeon, starring bleary eyed at the screen.

“And that is the proper ratio of cracker, marshmallow and chocolate,” Twilight said with a nod before clicking the projector off. “Any questions?”

“Who dah wah?” Neon asked from Aeon's other shoulder.

Aeon sighed and looked down at her two cling-ons. “I think we've all learned a very, very valuable lesson, princess. So, ummm, how about we try that truth or dare? Could you go get everypony ready?”

“Oh, yes!” Twilight said happily before galloping off.

Aeon glanced down at Drifting, who was snuggled up and hugging her new teddy. “That was a nasty little trick.”

“She's not so scary now, is she?”

“She's not the intimidating one. That'd be...” Aeon gulped. “Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh, lightning butt!” Drifting said with a little giggle.

“She is NOT lightning butt. Do you have any idea who she is? One of the most impressive Wonderbolts to ever join the organization. She's only a rookie, but they say she's bound to shatter just about all of their records. Not only that, a multi-time world savior. And she's not like the princess. For somepony like her, you need to be... cool.”

Drifting blinked a few times before looking up. “Oh my goodness. You're one of her fans, aren't you?”

“Aeon and I have done guard duty on EVERY Canterlot Wonderbolt show. We've even met a few of them. But actually hanging out at a party with THE Rainbow Dash? Why didn't you warn us?”

“I... didn't really know who she was?”

“How can you not have known?”

“I'm not really into sports. Especially ones I can't play myself.”

“Why?”

“Many, many reasons. Mostly because, well... it's boring to watch something and not do it yourself. I'm sure they're really good and all, and I can see why some ponies really enjoy it. But it's just not something I'd like. I'd be sooooo borrrrred watching,” she said with a little whine. She then glanced up. “So, why do you like them so much?”

“Well, Neon got me into them,” Aeon said before motioning to her husband. He snored gently on her shoulder. “And he even got a cute little outfit for himself and sometimes he wears it when we play--” She shut up quickly, her face going bright red. “Aaaaanyway, it's really cool. They are all kinds of flexible and Rainbow is one of the best. She even did the sonic rainboom! That move was thought to be absolutely impossible to do, but she did it. Only pony to ever perform it and, more importantly, she can apparently do it at will now. While flying UP! How awesome is that?”

“Pretty awesome?” Drifting said worriedly. “Is Neon going to be okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. He'll be fine, he's never really been good at the whole... school thing. Oh, speaking of, how are your classes doing?”

“Mine? Pretty good. I'm passing and... well, I think I might have missed a few too many days. I'm catching up, though, and I don't intend to miss any more days.”

“Good, good. When's your next vacation?”

“A few weeks, why?”

“Well, Neon and I are working on something special for you. It should be ready by your vacation time. And no I won't tell you what it is, it's a surprise,” she said with a little smile.

“Awwww, come on. Please? Is it something cute?”

Aeon shook her head. “No. Besides, I think you've got enough cute for now,” the mare said before glancing to the bags, many of which had the cute spilling out. “Where did all those come from, anyway?”

“Rainbow. I will admit, she is pretty awesome. She just gave me those, didn't want to keep any of them!”

“... Those... are M-Miss Rainbows?” Aeon asked with a little squeak.

“Yeah. Apparently Miss Rarity made her a bunch of clothes and stuff, she never used any of it, but she felt bad just tossing it out. So she decided to give it to me! Isn't she awesome?”

“You... you have Rainbow's hoof-me-downs?” Aeon asked with a little squeak.

“Well, sorta. More just her box of stuff she felt guilty about trashing, but--”

Aeon squeaked, before giving her the filly eyes. “Drifting. I know we've only just become friends and all but I would be eternally in your debt. Do... do you think I could...?”

Drifting blinked, then her cheeks went red. “O-oh! Of course, when we ummm, t-take it all back, we can go through it, you guys can of course have some things. Y-you're my friends after all!” She then blinked. “Except the maid outfit. That's mine. Or anything too cute.”

“Oh, I already have one for Neon, don't worry,” Aeon said with a nod.

“Huh? Wuzzat? Maids?” Neon asked, sitting up.

“Nothing, dear.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Drifting asked.

“He'll wake up eventually. Probably. Going from super excited and nervous about meeting Rainbow to... a princess lecture was a bit much for him to handle.” She gave him a little kiss on the forehead. “He'll be fine, I'm sure.”

Drifting nodded, glancing over to the princess and her friends. She then looked back to Aeon and Neon. “So, errr, this surprise?”

“Told you, not until it's time. Now, come on. We've got some truth or dare to do, right? After that, I think you could use a proper make over.” Aeon paused. “Neon, look! Rainbow and me are wearing teddys!”

“Wait, what?” Neon asked, raising his head and then losing his balance, falling past Aeon with a squeak.

“It's time for truth or dare,” she said with a chuckle. “Come on.”

“Whatever you say,” he said with a light yawn, before sitting up.

Drifting smiled, trotting after them.

------

Drifting stared up at the roof, a big grin on her face. She held up her hooves, admiring the thin gloss over them. She had to admit, Neon had quite the steady hoof. She could hear the gentle snores from all around her... and the foghorn that was Rainbow from up above.

It really did feel like she'd had a slumber party. She knew, technically, it was just a sleep over. She'd had them before. But to her it was a slumber party, a real one. Like all mares had growing up. She gave a soft, content sigh and nestled up in her bed.

She felt happy and content. She knew she had more things she had to do, stuff to work on. But for now, she felt really happy and in a good place. She glanced over to Aeon and then the princess. A part of her wondered if, just maybe, all of this was possible. Maybe, with a bit of luck, she actually could convince her mother to be okay with everything.

How hard could it be?

Author's Notes:

Okay, it's been a looooong time since I've updated this story, but there's a good reason.
I completely lost it. Like, all of the energy that went into it, poofed. But... that's not necessarily bad.

When I started this story, I NEEDED Drifting. I needed a girl who could just... be a girl, who could stand up to the insults, the humiliations, the insults. I needed somepony who could be strong because, frankly, I wasn't. I felt I was being a fool, that I had all these feelings inside and I wanted them so bad, to be this cute little girl so bad, but it was just... impossible. But in the last few months... I've gotten better. So much better. I now am able to dress as my chosen gender at home, I've gone out once as it, I've been called ma'am quite a few times(even when presenting as a guy), and all in all I've been feeling amazing. I really feel in a much better place. But recently, when I started looking into finding some good transgender stories, I realized there are very slim pickings. I found a few decent ones, but the only truly good one I could find that was still going was Rain(which, by the way, is AMAZING.) It made me realize that I really should finish this story. If for no other reason than there might be some trans woman or trans man who needs this. Who needs a story like this. It might be a bit vain of me to think that, but I really hope this story can one day be some help to someone who has felt like I've felt.

And this is good news for Drifting. I... I think I want her to have a happy ending. Well, a happy-ish ending. Before... well... I AM still a writer and I am still evil, so her ending will still only be good from a certain point of view. But I feel it will make HER happy. Even if it won't make everyone else(Twilight will be PISSED! Let's see how many of you can figure that one out! :P) But I now know where I want this story to go, though I'm not sure how I want to get there.

But, all in all, my transition has been going well. Amazingly well. I've been doing a ton. I now DM for adventurer's league, where I just came out as trans and will be presenting female regularly starting soon. I also DM a sunday game where I always present female(though it's online, but hey.) My writing is going well, I've got TWO books out and will have the third out when the cover is finished. All in all, my life is going pretty good and I feel as if I'm really making progress to being the girl I want so desperately to be. Even if sometimes I feel lonely, depressed, sad, a failure, those feelings are getting less and less to the forefront. I might even try dating soon! Well, if anyone ever asks girl me out.

Also, about this chapter... I'll be completely honest. Growing up? I wanted a slumber party so bad. Not a sleep over. A slumber party. I wanted to play cute little games, do make overs, talk about girly things into the night. I know it's silly, but something like that had always meant the world to me. I'm still hopeful one day it might happen, even if it is a dumb little fantasy.