Spread

Chapter 15: The Walk

The sting of Spike’s anger echoed within the minds of Twilight and Rarity as they stepped outside the library. Both of them were eager to discuss it, but neither of them knew what to say. They looked at each other awkwardly and smiled, turning their eyes away. The silence between them had to be broken somehow, and Twilight was the one to break it.

“How are we going to help Spike?” she blurted out. Rarity cringed and shook her head.

“There’s no helping him right now, Twilight,” she explained.

“I don’t mean right now. I mean eventually,” Twilight said in an attempt to clarify her position. “We’re going to have to address this with him sometime soon. I should have realized he wouldn’t take it well. Then I could have…”

“Could have what, darling?” Rarity asked, glancing nervously at Twilight. Twilight’s eyes remained facing forward.

“Could have...I don’t know, explained it to him better. Made it not so much of a shock.”

“Well, to be honest, dear, I was surprised myself,” Rarity recalled. “Your outpouring of emotion took me off guard, but I think deep down I knew what to do about it before my mind had a chance to catch up.”

“You mean you were acting on impulse?” Twilight asked, now looking over at Rarity. Rarity turned her eyes away.

“I was acting from the heart,” she clarified. “Make of that what you will.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders that she hadn’t even realized was there.

It wasn’t much longer before the two of them ran into Applejack and Fluttershy in the center of town. Twilight and Rarity hustled over to them.

“What are you two doin’ here?” Applejack asked.

“What do you mean?” Rarity responded.

“Ah mean, ah don’t normally see you two walkin’ together at this time o’ day.”

Twilight and Rarity glanced at each other nervously before turning back to their friends. Twilight cleared her throat.

“Well, I guess I could say the same about you two,” she said warily. Applejack and Fluttershy looked at each other and chuckled.

“Bit of an odd thing to say, if you ask me,” Rarity interjected.

“Oh wait...consarn it! That’s right. Ya went to go comfort Twilight after last night. Guess that means ya stayed the night, huh?”

Rarity was now blushing. She was surprised to be in a position in which she might have to explain her newfound relationship to her friends this soon. She stammered a bit looking for a response.

“Well...I did. And it was far more quiet without you there.”

“Oh, ah see,” Applejack remarked with a sneer. “Without me stirrin’ up trouble, it must have been a quiet night.”

“Not exactly…” Twilight said, turning her eyes away from Applejack’s. Fluttershy gazed at Twilight carefully.

“What happened when Rarity went over?” she asked. “You look a lot better.”

“I am feeling better,” Twilight chirped with a smile, then she bit her lip. “Things got a bit...interesting last night, though.”

“Will ya quit beatin’ around the bush and just tell us what happened?” Applejack snapped. She then started blushing and drooped her head. “Sorry, ah let my curiosity get the best o’ me.”

“No, no, it’s alright,” Twilight said. “Well, there’s no point in delaying it any longer. After last night, Rarity and I decided...we’re a couple.”

“A couple o’ what?” Applejack asked, scratching her head. Fluttershy, however, gasped and started bouncing up and down.

“You mean you two are dating?” she squealed, unable to understand her excitement.

“Oh…” Applejack added, having caught up. “Wait, what? Since when were you two so keen on each other?”

“I have been for quite a while,” Twilight admitted, her cheeks growing scarlet again. “I think I didn’t realize it until I saw that spread.”

“Oh, my…” Rarity said. “Well, I was far more unaware of my emotions until Twilight laid her heart in my lap. Then it felt as if I was on a roller coaster just as it was reaching its peak.”

“That’s a nice metaphor…” Fluttershy remarked. Rarity beamed at her. Twilight rested her head on Rarity’s shoulder. Fluttershy smiled and Applejack chuckled.

“Gotta say, that one came outta left field for me,” she explained.

“Oh, you said you wanted to know what we were doing on a walk together,” Fluttershy reminded the group. Rarity nodded but then reconsidered.

“Only if you’re comfortable with it, darling,” she said.

“Well, I think it’s safe to tell you, but I only want it to be between us six...well, really five…”

“What about Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Oh. Six, then,” Fluttershy corrected herself. “It’s just that I have feelings for somepony that are hard to explain…”

“Feelings for who, darling?” Rarity asked. Fluttershy shifted her eyes nervously and walked closer to Rarity and Twilight. She whispered the answer in their ears.

“Rainbow Dash…”

Rarity covered her mouth in surprise and Twilight lifted her head off Rarity’s shoulder, looking at Fluttershy nervously.

“Exactly what kinds of feelings are we talking about…?” she asked.

“Do ya want me to explain it to them?” Applejack asked.

“No, no,” Fluttershy resisted. “These are my feelings to tell, and I trust them to understand.”

“Understand what, exactly?” Rarity inquired.

“Oh, well…” Fluttershy started, pausing briefly to compose herself. “Well, they’re certainly feelings of attraction, but I can’t say it’s the kind of feelings you and Rarity seem to have for each other.”

“What do you mean by that?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, I’m trying to explain!” Fluttershy sputtered, but then she took a deep breath. “What I mean is, I don’t necessarily want to be in a relationship with Rainbow Dash. I just want...you know, the physical aspects of a relationship… Does that make sense?”

Rarity and Twilight took a moment to think it over and then both nodded.

“I understand,” Rarity said. “I’ve had quite a few of those feelings myself, especially when I was a teenager. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“But what should I do?” Fluttershy asked. “I’m afraid to tell her because I’m afraid she’ll turn me down, or it’ll make things so awkward she won’t want to be friends anymore…”

“Well, ah don’t think you’ll be satisfied until you admit it to her,” Applejack advised, trying to get back into the conversation after waiting patiently for Fluttershy to explain herself. Fluttershy turned to her and smiled sheepishly.

“That’s easier said than done, Applejack,” she remarked shyly. “Remember who you’re talking to.”

“Oh, don’t say that, Fluttershy,” Rarity said, walking over to her and placing a hoof on her cheek. “You’re one of the bravest ponies I know. You will find the strength to open up to her when it counts.”

“Uh, might wanna make that quick…” Applejack warned, looking up at the sky. The other three looked up as well and saw Rainbow Dash diving towards them. Fluttershy’s cheeks were already hot red by the time Dash landed. Dash, however, didn’t seem to notice.

“What’s up, guys?” she asked, moving over to Fluttershy and tousling her mane. Fluttershy took a step back.

“You’ve missed a few important developments since last night,” Rarity explained. Dash looked at her quizzically.

“What are those?” she asked.

“Well, Twilight and I have decided to begin a romantic relationship,” Rarity explained.

“Oh, wow. Sweet! Good for you two,” Dash said. “I mean, now that I think about it, wow… Didn’t see that one coming!”

“Neither did we,” Twilight said. “You can’t be as surprised as we were.”

“Or Spike, for that matter,” Rarity remembered, gazing at Twilight uneasily.

“Oh, right…” Applejack remarked, looking at the other ponies. “Ah guess he didn’t take it well, then?”

“Not at all,” Rarity explained. “He shouted at us and went to Twilight’s room to sulk, is more or less what happened.”

“Want one of us to talk to him?” Dash asked, indicating herself, Applejack, and Fluttershy.

“No, it’s best if we do it,” Rarity said. “Help should come from the parties involved, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Fluttershy said. “Um...Dashie? Can I talk to you in private for a second?”

Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight tried to contain the anticipation that just sprung up within them. Fluttershy’s nervousness, however, was more than the three of theirs combined.

“Sure, Shy. Sounds good,” Dash said. Fluttershy and Dash looked up into the sky and took off into the air.

They soared high enough so that Ponyville was out of earshot, then looked around at the clouds that were spread about the blue sky. This place was peaceful, secluded, private. Just about the perfect opportunity for Fluttershy, and that racked up the tension even higher.

“So what’s up?” Dash asked, pulling over a cloud for the two of them to sit on.

“Well, it’s kind of a long story, if you don’t mind hearing it,” Fluttershy said meekly.

“I’m down for that,” Dash said simply, paying careful attention to Fluttershy.

“Really, though,” Fluttershy said, “if you feel uncomfortable at any point, feel free to interrupt.”

“Come on, how long have we been friends?” Dash asked. “You can tell me just about anything.”

I hope, Fluttershy thought. She took a deep breath and began her story.

“Do you remember the night you caught me looking at your stash of magazines?”

Well, if that didn’t catch Dash’s attention, nothing else would.

“Oh, you’re talking about that?” Dash asked, looking concerned. “Well, that was a pretty awkward night, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“I didn’t know until last night,” Fluttershy said, “when I was talking to Applejack about Rarity’s spread.”

“Right,” Dash said. “I can see how that would bring it up.”

“Anyway, I was talking to Applejack about it, and I remember that time when you caught me flipping through your magazines. And...I guess I got caught up in association.”

“Whaddya mean?” Dash asked.

“Well, now every time I think about ponies in those kinds of positions...I think of you,” Fluttershy finally confessed. Dash, however, was still looking clueless.

“Uh...not to be blunt, but...what’s your point?” she asked.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy sputtered. “You must understand. If sex makes me think about you then what do you think the natural conclusion is?”

“Hey, calm down,” Dash said, holding up her hooves. “You’re being kinda subtle right now. But...oh, now I get it. Wait...did you just say you wanna have sex with me?”

Fluttershy sighed and nodded ever so slightly.

“Oh, okay...um...what’s the best way to break it to you?” Dash asked hesitantly. She was squirming in her seat, and half of her wanted to fly away from Fluttershy for a little while. But the stronger half knew she had to be there for her friend, so she stayed put.

“I think I know what you’re going to say…” Fluttershy muttered, blushing hotly, her eyes watering.

“I mean, yeah, I went through a period where I thought I liked mares,” Dash tried to explain, avoiding Fluttershy’s gaze. “And, I mean, that was fun and all. But I fly straight now, so I don’t want you to think it’s something personal about you, because it’s not. Look, you’re a really good friend, but I wouldn’t wanna start dating you and messing it all up.”

“I wasn’t talking about dating,” Fluttershy whimpered, and Dash was left trying to catch up again.

“Oh...oh, I see. Well…” Dash pondered this for a moment. “Um, a ‘friends with benefits’ type deal is not a good idea, even if I was up for it. I tried it once with Blue Skies, and it did not end well.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond. Her heart felt like it had deflated and was now lying flat in her stomach. Dash wanted to wrap a hoof around her, but she didn’t want Fluttershy getting the wrong idea.

“Look, Flutters,” Dash said, “I know it’s tough to hear right now, but I don’t think this is gonna ruin our friendship or anything. We’ve been through tougher problems. Remember that time I thought Thunderlane was seeing you behind my back?”

“Oh, yes, I remember that clearly,” Fluttershy admitted.

“I didn’t speak to you for weeks, until I remembered that you would never lie about something like that. It was just hard to believe Thunderlane at the time, because obviously he would’ve denied it either way, and I let that cloud my judgment about whether I could trust you. So...don’t worry. We’re gonna be cool.”

“That’s okay, I guess,” Fluttershy said, rising from the cloud.

“I think I’m gonna go back down to the ground now,” she said.

“Do you want me to go?” Dash asked.

“Um...no, that’s okay. I don’t want you to miss out on seeing our friends. I think I’ll just go home…”

Dash reached out for Fluttershy as she flew away, but she pulled back, knowing there was nothing she could do for her now. At this point, it was no good sitting alone and thinking about it. She flew off the cloud and dove back down to catch up with her friends.

Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity saw Dash coming down and rushed over to her, eager to find out what happened.

“Did she already tell you?” Dash asked. They all nodded.

“Well,” Dash said, “I basically told her it wasn’t gonna happen, and she just went home. I don’t think she’s taking it too well, to be honest.”

“Ah think ah’ll go talk to her,” Applejack suggested, walking away from the group, eager to console her friend without truly understanding why.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Dash asked. “She looked really out of it. I think she wants to be alone.”

“Well, ah’ll just have to find out for myself, won’t ah?” Applejack asked. Before anypony could answer, she was off, heading towards Fluttershy’s cottage.

“What’s that all about?” Dash asked. “Did AJ and Flutters suddenly get really tight?”

“I believe she was talking to Applejack about her feelings for you last night,” Rarity said. “Perhaps they bonded over that?”

“Yeah, but since when do they talk to each other?” Dash asked. “I thought she’d go to you for that kind of stuff, Rares.”

“Well, given that I was preoccupied, I suppose Applejack was the next best thing.”

“It does seem odd, though,” Twilight said, tapping her chin with her hoof. “I mean, it’s great that they’re bonding, but why so suddenly? What’s behind it?”

The three ponies took a moment to consider Twilight’s question.

“Whatever,” Dash said. “If they wanna be best buds all of a sudden, there’s no point trying to find out why.”

Rarity and Twilight took a collective sigh.

“As much as my curiosity has grown,” Rarity said, “I suppose forming theories won’t help answer our questions, so it’s best to put it aside for now.”

“I guess you’re right,” Twilight concurred.

“Welp, I’ve got stuff to do, so I gotta fly,” Dash said. “Maybe I’ll check up on Fluttershy after work. Think she’ll be feeling better by then?”

“She should be,” Rarity said. “She’s a strong pony, however meek she may seem. And she has Applejack to comfort her now, so there’s no doubt she’ll be feeling better by the time you arrive.”

“Bye, Rainbow!” Twilight called as Dash flew away, leaving her and Rarity alone again.

“Think Spike has cooled down yet?” Rarity asked. “We’ve been gone for quite a while.”

“I suppose there’s only one way to find out,” Twilight said. “Time to go check on him, I think.”

“Splendid! And then, maybe we’ll find some time later to do...other things…”

“We’ll see about that,” Twilight said with a smirk. Rarity giggled to herself as the two of them headed back towards the library.