Rarity yawned deeply, stretching as she prepared to greet the day. It was at that point she noticed that her bed was unusually crowded, doubly so because the one crowding her was a lot less furry than any suitor she had ever entertained before. “Mmm, Spike, darling. As nice as it is to wake up in a cuddle, we simply must get you and Sweetie Belle a bed of your own with plenty of room for your new size,” the mare declared.

“Agreed… we’d have done it already if we had the bits,” Spike said. “Sorry for borrowing your bed without asking. We really didn’t have another option. Okay, no good ones anyways.”

“It’s fine, dear. Sorry for… last night,” she answered.

“What happened last night?” Sweetie Belle asked, finally admitting to being awake. “You didn’t leave me out of something fun, did you?”

“Nothing happened,” Spike assured. “I wouldn’t do something like that without inviting you, you know that.”

Sweetie Belle studied their faces a bit, noting Spike’s firm look and Rarity’s blush, and finally nodded. “I trust you. And… I guess it would be weird with my sister of all ponies.” She hopped out of bed, ready to start the day. “So what are we going to do today?”

“School first, little filly,” Rarity declared. “Go get yourself ready, and I’ll do the same. We’ll see about a bed this afternoon.” She waited for Sweetie to be out of eyesight on her way to her own bathroom, before gesturing for Spike to follow her to her own. “Now spill it, Spike.”

“Umm, well… you know Sweetie Belle and I had been getting close-”

“No, not about that, darling. The rest of the town’s gossip. I’ve been gone for days, surely something juicy must have happened, beyond your little romp,” Rarity clarified. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s sooner than I thought, but everypony knew this was coming. Except maybe Twilight, dear thing seemed to be in denial about the fact that you’re a stallion, or male at any rate.”

“Well… Nanaki seems to be working on that whole ‘harem’ idea Pinkie was shipping. I’m pretty sure he’s slept with her and Applejack already, and dated Twilight at least once,” Spike informed. “Cloud’s getting a bit upset about it. I think she wants him for herself, but she hasn’t really made a move yet.”

“Now, that is juicy,” Rarity confirmed, tapping a hoof to her chin thoughtfully as she considered the situation. “Do you know where I could find Nanaki?”

“I don’t, I’m sorry. One of the other mares might know, though. Twilight, or maybe Fluttershy,” Spike offered.

“Hmm… I’ll try Twilight first,” she decided. “Anything else I missed?”

“Well,” Spike said, scratching the back of his head. “Actually, your sister and I wanted to give you something… a little gift, assuming you made it back in time.” He stopped by her nightstand to get something from a drawer and returned to the vanity where she was still adjusting her mane. “It was supposed to be our first big date but… we’re kind of way past that. And… honestly, I kind of feel like we’ll get a lot of stares there, and not the good kind.”

His hand rested on the vanity briefly, and when it retracted a pair of golden tickets was left behind. “We know you really wanted to be able to go, and show off your work. Maybe Sweetie can still go, after all that effort you went into for her dress. Or you can ask somepony else. I’m sure you’ll be able to find a good use for both tickets.”

“Oh, Spike! Thank you,” Rarity said, voice laced with emotion as she set her self care aside to hug him tightly. She gave his kiss a cheek before sitting back. “I’m sure I’ll find a great use for the second ticket.”

“Knock, knock,~” Rarity announced as she let herself into the library without knocking. “Twilight, darling, are you in here?”

“Who?” Owlowiscious greeted.

“Rarity doesn’t play that game,” the fashionista said quietly.

“Rarity?” Twilight called from the back before teleporting a bit uncomfortably close. “It is you!” She lunged forward and caught her fellow unicorn in a hug. “You were gone so long. Are you alright? What happened?”

“I’m alright, Twilight. A bit disillusioned, but otherwise well,” she said. She found herself a comfortable seat before continuing. “Princess Celestia invited me along because Prince Blueblood had suffered a blow to the head. I stayed by his side day and night, as much as my own needs could allow. But yesterday, I stepped away for just a few minutes to powder my nose and when I returned he was being overly amorous with one of the nurses!”

“I’m sure it was just some kind of misunderstanding,” Twilight suggested.

“She was fellating him!” Rarity exclaimed. “And don’t pretend you don’t know what that means, Twilight, I’m sure you’ve memorized the dictionary.”

Twilight blushed. “Well… maybe it wasn’t his idea?”

“He was holding her head in place with two hooves and verbally encouraging her,” Rarity pointed out.

“Okay… He did wrong, no two ways about it,” Twilight admitted.

“That should have been me!” Rarity pointed out. “By the time I got to him he was too exhausted to do anything, and went right back to sleep. So… I left. Came back here. I was so pent up I almost-”

“Almost?” Twilight nudged.

“Eheh, well. Have you seen Nanaki around?” Rarity changed the subject.

“We had a lovely time watching the meteor shower together the other night. It’s a shame you missed it,” Twilight said. “We talked quite late into the night about the similarities and differences in astronomy between our worlds. Did you know they don’t have anypony to raise or lower the sun or moon in their world? Instead, their world and several other celestial bodies travel around their sun in an elliptical orbit. The world rotates to create a day and night cycle, which combines with the orbit to create seasons in an entirely mathematical fashion.” She showed the seamstress her diagrams.

“That’s fascinating, I’m sure darling. And did you have any other fun with the man?” Rarity pressed.

“Oh, yes. We had a great discussion of cultural differences between his own tribe and their neighbors, and how they resembled the situation in Appleloosa with the buffalo,” Twilight happily explained.

“Nothing more… intimate?” Rarity questioned. “I’d heard he was putting together a harem.”

Twilight blushed deeply. “Well… we did share some rather private discussions as well… but no, nothing sexual. It was a lovely time together, but I’m not that eager to lose my virginity. It’s interesting to consider going down that route, herding I mean, but I’d need more than one nice night to commit myself to a special somepony who’s to be shared like that.”

“I suppose that makes you the wisest among us,” Rarity pondered. “Unwise as it may prove, I do wish to meet with him, today if I can. Could you point me in his direction?”

“He plans to attend Fluttershy’s tea party tonight, along with Cloud. You could find him there, certainly, and I’m sure ‘Shy would be happy to have one more,” Twilight suggested. “Until then, I’m sure he’s about town somewhere.”

“Alright, I’ll look for him myself. Thank you, Twilight,” Rarity said. "Oh, before I go... did you have any plans for the night after next?"

Rarity headed for the town center, knowing it would be most of the day before Fluttershy’s tea party. After being out of town for nearly a week, she had some basic errands to attend to anyway. She stopped by the spa to apologize for missing her appointments, and set up a full day of treatments for the next day. She’d need them to look her best for the gala. Next, she spent an hour browsing beds before selecting one to have delivered to the boutique. It was a fair bit larger than her own, but hers had proven a bit short for Spike’s tail, and a bit on the ‘cozy’ side with a mare on either side of him. Not that she planned to join them in bed again, or particularly expected anypony else to, but they ought to at least have the room to sleep a bit separated from one another if they did, even as Sweetie grew to her adult size.

The final errand was grocery shopping. She started by purchasing a bag of farm-grown gemstones for Spike, before acquiring foodstuffs more suitable for a pair of unicorns. She had barely finished loading her saddlebags with her purchases when she realized Nanaki was right behind her, waiting patiently with a set of saddlebags slung over his left forearm.

“Nanaki! Were you looking for me?” Rarity asked.

“Not at the moment, fair maiden,” Nanaki said. “I was merely waiting my turn to do business with the merchant here. If you’re done?” He set a carton of eggs on the counter as she stepped aside, taking a moment to conclude his own purchase before adding them to his already heavy bags. “Nevertheless, it’s good to see you again. Welcome back to town.”

“Thank you, darling. I actually was hoping to see you today. I trust you are integrating well enough so far?” the mare replied. She started toward the boutique slowly, gesturing for him to join.

“As well as can be expected. The dietary differences seem to take some finesse to account for politely,” Nanaki said. Lowering his voice, he added, “I’m used to a nearly entirely carnivorous diet, truth be told. The human body can safely stray a fair bit off from that, but we are certainly no ponies in that regard. Eggs look to be my salvation in that regard… ironic, as I only ever ate them with any regularity when I was in captivity.”

“That’s terrible… there must be some alternative?” Rarity inquired.

“Fish is hard to come by and expensive, at least until I learn the skills to acquire my own. Ponies don’t generally eat them, except as a fancy exotic dish it seems. The local fisher seems to owe his livelihood to Fluttershy and her pets… sorry, friends,” Nanaki explained. “Anything else… No. Cheese perhaps, but my gut reacts to it in unfortunate ways. I’ll spare a refined lady such as yourself the details.”

“Thank you, darling, though you’ve said enough,” Rarity responded. “So… I hear you’ve been finding favor with my friends, and vice versa.” The shift in her tone and look, especially the dramatic flutter of her eyelashes, carried a far from subtle level of innuendo. Something only a human could have missed, from her experience.

“Indeed. Were you hoping to arrange some alone time yourself, or merely catching up on gossip?” Nanaki asked teasingly. “You were engaged last I heard, so I didn’t want to be too forward.”

“‘Was’ being the operative word,” Rarity groused.

“Does he know?” Nanaki inquired.

“He ought to,” Rarity said firmly. “After what he did…”

“So, that’s a no,” Nanaki smirked. “It’s alright, I’m sure you’ll make it obvious enough he can’t miss it, eventually.”

Rarity sighed. “Can we change the subject? Thinking about it is a bit of a mood killer.”

“Of course, fair maiden. What would you prefer to discuss?” Nanaki obliged. “I can spare a few hours if you’ll lend me some space in your refrigerator.”

“Done,” she agreed readily.

With the foodstuffs properly stored, the pair settled into the interior of the closed shop. “This reminds me,” Nanaki said with a vague gesture at the wares on display. “As the foremost expert on human clothing in Ponyville, and perhaps Equestria, I’ll have need of your services. As charity, if you can’t think of a suitable payment.”

“Oh, I’m sure we can come up with something,” Rarity responded flirtatiously, before a thought hit her, and she couldn’t help but giggle before shaking her head. “Though… this does remind me of when Cloud first came here. At least you managed to come here in more practical garb. It does make the challenge of giving you something nice to wear that much more pressing.”

“I suppose it’s practical enough,” Nanaki said, “though I’d just as soon be rid of it if I had a suitable replacement, no pun intended.”

“Pun?” Rarity asked, before catching what he’d said. “Ah… actually, a nice suit might be just the thing. You’ll have to forgive me if it takes a few tries, though. Let me measure you now, and come by tomorrow for the alterations you’ll no doubt need to get it just right.”

“Rainbow Dash is in a competition tomorrow and I promised to come watch. What about the next day?” Nanaki negotiated.

“Tomorrow evening it is,” Rarity said firmly. “The Grand Galloping Gala is in three days, we can’t wait that long.”

Nanaki waved dismissively. “You can wait until after the event to work on my clothes. Despite my words, I can manage well enough in this thing.” He plucked at the blue uniform a bit.

“Nonsense, darling,” Rarity objected. “Besides, you’re on the short list of ponies I’m considering inviting to come with me.”

“Oh?” Nanaki asked before chuckling. “That would certainly seal it, in Cloud’s mind at least.”

“Seal what, dear?” Rarity asked, confused.

“Pinkie suggested on the train ride out here that I could pursue a relationship with all six of you mares and Cloud, all at once,” Nanaki said. “Cloud seems quite convinced it’s what I’m doing, and she seems all the more flustered as it proceeds. It’s kind of cute, though I also worry I’m ruining my chances with her.”

“Isn’t it what you’re doing?” Rarity inquired.

Nanaki shrugged. “At the moment, I’m really just trying to get to know you all. I admit to sharing a few intimate moments with those who wished it, but we were clear from the start there was no promise of anything deeper. I was under the impression you were seeking the same… I apologize if I misjudged you.”

Rarity shook her head. “No, you judged right. I was so pent up I nearly jumped Spike when I got home. In my defense though, he was sleeping in my bed when I got there. When I heard about your ‘harem’, I thought it’d be an easy way to relieve some of my tension.”

“It still can be, even if it makes things that much more strained with Cloud,” Nanaki offered. “Though, Spike… he’s got an impressive harem,” he laughed. “Five in one night… that’s quite a way to lose his virginity.”

“What?!” Rarity exclaimed. “They didn’t mention anything about that to me!”

“Really? What about the destruction of their clubhouse?” Nanaki inquired.

“What happened?! You must tell me!” Rarity asked, shifting her position as she realized she’d missed the juiciest of the gossip.

“Apparently, every mare the little dragon claimed for his own made him grow exponentially,” Nanaki explained. “After two he was as big as he is now. Continuing past that point required magical intervention to avoid hurting the fillies, and your sister earned her cutie mark inventing such a spell. I don’t know how that works, but I do know the fifth one made him so big he towered over the trees, destroying their clubhouse in the process.”

“How did he get back down in size then?” Rarity inquired.

“He gave up the other fillies, all but your sister,” Nanaki said. “I guess is size is somehow related to how many mates he claims as his own in his heart, or something. Some kind of magic, to be sure. He doesn’t understand it that well himself, I gather.”

Rarity thought a moment. “If he gave up the others, why is he this size? Why not the size he was after one?”

“He and Sweetie agreed to keep their relationship open, at least to their friends,” Nanaki said. “Four ‘friends with benefits’ grows him as much as one more full time marefriend, apparently. They seem pretty content with him being as he is now.”

Rarity blushed deeply, thinking back to the night before. She didn’t speak for some time, so Nanaki observed her quietly. Finally, she decided to change gears a bit. “You’ve mentioned Cloud a few times. You seem concerned about how she sees you… do you have a thing for her?”

It was Nanaki’s turn to blush. “I suppose so. It’s hard to claim too much, as we’ve yet to have a date, or even that much time together. But I can certainly appreciate a fellow warrior, something you ponies seem to lack. And… now that we’re both human, I’m finding a newfound appreciation for the womanly form that I never thought I would have.”

“Well, of course you need to time together for love to grow, if it will,” Rarity said off hand before realizing something he’d said. “Wait… you weren’t human before you came here?”

“Please don’t tell Cloud,” Nanaki said. “I’m pretty sure she thinks I used to be female, rather than another species. I ought to be the one to come clean to her, myself.”

“Why did you lie to her in the first place?” Rarity asked.

“I didn’t, exactly. I told her the truth, and when she misconstrued it… well at the moment I thought it was funny, and let her run with it,” Nanaki said. “It took me a while to even realize she’d even gone with that interpretation, and even then it was as much a guess on my part as anything. Subtle clues in how she words things or what she expects from me.”

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you to clear up,” Rarity allowed. “Your old form… you were on all fours like a pony then? It’s why being with one of us came naturally to you?”

Nanaki nodded. “They called us Firecats. An evocative term, though we bore more of a special bond with the moon than actual fire,” he said. “Truthfully, I’ve never once been with a two-legger, even when my captor tried to force me to serve as a stud for one. That was… actually how I first met several of Cloud’s friends. Instead of having sex, we helped each other break free of that awful place, and began a longer journey together. I heard a fair bit about Cloud from them, not all of which has matched up to what I see for myself now. The gender being the most blatant difference.”

“Certainly, but there are others?” Rarity asked, intrigued.

“When she disappeared, she… or he at the time, had taken on a mercenary character that didn’t quite match what his older friends remembered of him. He’d been away for some time, and certainly people change, but Tifa mentioned he seemed really out of it when she first found him,” Nanaki explained.

Rarity nodded. “Yes, when she first appeared here, she seemed a bit obsessed about being a mercenary. Oddly, it wasn’t until Discord messed with all of our heads with his magic that Cloud changed for the better. Maybe that’s just how it is for Discord? Sometimes his chaos magic helps those he seeks to hurt? I can’t say for certain, but Luna seemed to know a bit about it when I spoke with her.”

“Whatever the reason, I’m glad for it,” Nanaki said. “The Cloud I’ve seen seems much more appealing to get to know than the one I’ve heard of.”

Rarity hesitated a moment, fighting a losing battle against her own virtue. “Nanaki… I have an idea how you can get to a great start getting to know her…”

I finished drying myself after my shower, and reached out blindly for my dress, where it was hanging on the top of the bathroom door. I froze as my fingers touched the fabric. I could easily tell it was the silk dress I had with me when I first arrived in this world, not the cotton dress I had laid out for myself, the one I always wore to Fluttershy’s tea parties.

I stood still for a moment, as the fabric conjured memories, from the first time I had met Fluttershy to my last date with Prince Blueblood. Rarities repairs and alterations of the dress between those two events had been masterfully done, and it was a far more flattering piece of apparel than what I had intended to wear. And it would send a message.

Which I assumed was why my adoptive daughter had made the switch. Determining to own that message, I took the dress off the door and put it on, taking a few minutes to adjust it and confirm it looked just right in the mirror before setting into my hair. Diamond Tiara’s implication was just right. Now was the time to look like someone Nanaki couldn’t help but be attracted to.

Diamond let herself into the bathroom before I was finished. Perhaps I should get a lock installed at some point. “You cleaned up well. If I hadn’t watched you, I would never know you’d been doing construction work all morning,” she complimented. “But you need to do more if you want to woo your stallion, sorry, ‘man’?” She pulled several items from her saddlebags and deployed them in front of me. Makeup.

“I’m… not sure I’m ready for that,” I said. “Do you even know how to use those? I certainly don’t. But I do know they can make things worse if they aren’t done right.”

“Just relax, and trust me,” she insisted.

I got more nervous than I had been in life or death fights, and nodded. With hoof and mouth, the filly began to apply her goods to me. Fortunately, she went for a subtle approach. The lipstick was just a few shades from my natural color, and mostly served to hide the chapping that had come from hard work outdoors. She adjusted my eyelashes, making them a little more pronounced and straightening the few that had gone astray. She considered doing more, but then shook her head. “That will be enough, this time. But you’re going to let me experiment on you more later, see what I can do to really highlight your features. With all that exposed skin instead of facial fur, I’m not sure what some of our products would do for you.”

I looked myself over in the mirror and smiled. Back when I was a guy… I’d probably have instantly fallen for a woman with my new looks… Well, perhaps not. I’d have been too nervous to make a move, and maybe hesitate for fear I would find out she was secretly my long lost sister or something.

“You did well, Diamond. Thank you,” I said. “Nanaki won’t know what hit him.”

“Right. Now go get him. You’d better leave now or you’ll be late,” Diamond said. “But don’t run. You don’t want to get all sweaty on the way there.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said as I finally stepped out into the main room. I turned to the other occupant of the small house. “And thank you, as well. I really appreciate the help.”

“To you I owe a lasting debt, one I can’t repay I bet,” Zecora said. “So for foalsitting I shall e’er be available, as long as your bits are to me payable.”

I nodded to Zecora. “Diamond, I trust you’ll be good for Zecora. Do what she says. Just don’t start rhyming all the time like her.”