The Horse Collar

Pinkie Pie looked back and forth between Fluttershy and Twilight as the three of them had their spa bath. She was grinning broadly and seemed even more excited than usual, and she seemed to have been stuck in that state all day.

For some reason, now, she had become fixated on her two friends, looking at them as though there was some very amusing thought playing back inside her head.

Neither Twilight nor Fluttershy wanted to acknowledge Pinkie's mysterious new mood. They had quite a bit on their mind.

Their expressions were subdued, and wistful. Fluttershy, in particular, had been longing for a nice relaxing spa treatment for some time.

Relaxation, however, seemed to be off the table now that Pinkie Pie spotted them on their way toward the spa and decided to invite herself.

"We should have a foursome with Big Mac!" Pinkie finally cried out, unable to contain herself.

Twilight shot her head up from her laid-back position against the side of the bath and opened her eyes at Pinkie widely enough for the cucumbers that were covering them to slide off her face with twin plunks into the water.

Fluttershy blushed hotly and slowly sank down into the bath until she almost reached her eyes, releasing a few nervous air bubbles.

Pinkie beamed.

Despite the fact that her friends were aware of her proclivities, they rarely talked about it, and this was the very first time she's ever suggested that they join her in some new sexual escapade.

Twilight quickly rebuked her friend. "Pinkie. I have no idea what's gotten into you, but if you knew what Big Mac did to Fluttershy you wouldn't be suggesting something like that. Also, ew. No."

Pinkie Pie frowned. "He did something bad to Fluttershy? That's super crazy. Why would he do that? I thought he had a crush on you!" She turned to Fluttershy with a disconcerted expression.

Twilight started to slowly squint at Pinkie Pie as suspicions crept into her mind. How much does she know about Big Mac?

Fluttershy furrowed her brow and replied with more bubbles.

Twilight wanted to find out exactly how much Pinkie Pie knew. "Why are you taking such a sudden interest in Big Mac?"

"Because he's got super duper fantastic new sex powers, duh. I thought you knew!"

Twilight released an exasperated moan. "Pinkie, that's supposed to be a secret."

Fluttershy considered coming up for air. She was wondering if drowning would be all that bad.

Pinkie nodded emphatically, "I know! I won't tell anypony! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

Twilight moaned with frustration again. "Pinkie, you just told me."

Pinkie couldn't disagree with this. "Yeah, but you totally knew already so that means it's okay."

Twilight could see that this failure to communicate wasn't going to alleviate itself, and Pinkie was technically right. There was no harm done.

Fluttershy finally drew her muzzle from the water, and heaved a heavy breath for precious air. Both of her friends turned to look at her, blinking. Squee.

Twilight turned away from Fluttershy with a roll of her eyes and continued to lecture Pinkie Pie. "Also, you said you didn't know what Big Mac did to Fluttershy."

Pinkie thought on this for a moment, then replied, "Mmm nope. Only that he tried to make Fluttershy feel good and she didn't want to. So he left!"

Twilight shouted in befuddled exasperation, "That's rape, Pinkie Pie!"

Twilight quickly blushed, and hunkered down with a frown. She glanced around to see if anypony had heard her, but they were alone. She reiterated herself in a whisper. "That's rape."

Pinkie blinked. "I thought he just touched her leg."

Twilight groaned. Why wasn't her friend getting this? "Pinkie. She didn't tell him it was okay. He was trying to manipulate her into having sex by forcing magic on her."

Fluttershy quietly listened to all this, staring down sadly at her own reflection. Her friends were getting carried away in their dispute, forgetting she was even there. Fluttershy thought this was for the best. She didn't want to be a bother.

Pinkie Pie was perplexed. "This is super duper confusing. Didn't he stop right away when she asked him to? That's what Applejack said."

Twlight sighed. She already figured out, by process of elimination, that it was Applejack that told Pinkie. If she was honest with herself, it would have come as no surprise that word was getting out. She and her five closest friends were so tight knit that there's no way they won't all learn about it eventually.

"He's a pervert, Pinkie. He didn't care about Fluttershy's feelings. He just saw her as a mindless sex object. He's a monster. He was probably clopping himself all the time; thinking about it; dreaming for the opportunity to one day use magic to abuse someone." Twilight started to develop a pained expression. "He's sick. He has a sickness."

Pinkie, as was her style, tried her best to remain cheerful, but the corners of her smile were starting to melt. "I know a whole lot about stallions, and sometimes they need to be reminded that sex and love aren't the same thing. And... Big Mac is a stallion. That's why he forgot. That's why he thought Fluttershy would like it if he touched her."

Twilight groaned as she tried to contemplate Pinkie's seemingly circuitous logic. "He doesn't deserve this, Pinkie. He doesn't deserve to have you defend him like this. He should never be forgiven for what he's done. The ponies who do things like that are monsters."

Applejack couldn't be aware of what Twilight did to Big Mac, so Pinkie didn't know either. If Pinkie knew, Twilight wondered, would she be as quick to defend Twilight's actions as she was to defend Big Mac's actions?

Pinkie Pie's smile was almost gone now. She hung her head low. She tried desperately to keep herself perked up, but her wet mane dangled listlessly over her shoulders. There was a bitter coldness entering her words. "It just wasn't, Twilight. Rape isn't like that. Real rape is... real."

Twilight replied to Pinkie. Her voice was very hushed and gentle. "Pinkie. Have you ever--"

Pinkie forced herself to perk up. She ignored Twilight and lunged toward Fluttershy, smiling brightly. "So! Are you gonna try it? It's so super duper ultra nice!"

Fluttershy tried to back away from her energetic friend, but her back was already up against the side of the spa bath. "Eep."

Twilight's jaw dropped. "Pinkie Pie, did you already have sex with Big Mac?"

Pinkie Pie was oblivious to the shock in the eyes of both her friends. "Uh uh! Wanna know how big he is?!"

Fluttershy had been silent all this time, but now she was making a strained moan, trying to hold in the rush of tears that threatened to burst from her eyes. "You had sex with Big Mac?" she asked. Her voice was soft and sweet, even when she was feeling so betrayed. "I-- I told you how I felt about him. And then you..."

Pinkie Pie gasped, and flailed her arms, trying to console Fluttershy with frantic shouting. "Oh no! Don't cry! It was just sex! And I really really wanted to know what his super spiffy keen magic horse collar did!"

Twilight was aghast. "Pinkie Pie, how could you?"

Pinkie Pie got defensive. "Me? I didn't make him! He wanted to!"

Fluttershy, unsurprisingly, wasn't comforted by that. The tears were flowing now.

Pinkie Pie tried desperately to salvage the situation. She chattered rapidly. "But! But you weren't special someponies! You never dated once! And I thought you were fighting now so it would be okay? And I could help you get together with him! If you tell him you want sex, I'm super sure he'll do it."

Fluttershy climbed out of the bath, and took flight, sending lines of water beading off her glistening wings. She made her way toward the exit quickly, trying to wipe her tears and sniffling.

Twilight shot Pinkie Pie a fiery glare, then climbed out of the pool after her yellow coated friend. "Fluttershy, wait!" she called out vainly while chasing after her.

Pinkie Pie remained in the tub, with tears welling in her eyes. "I.. I just wanted everypony to have fun."

Twilight caught up to Fluttershy in the change room and teleported in front of her with a flash.

Fluttershy flapped her wings rapidly, coming to a halt and setting her hooves on the tiled floor.

Puddles were rapidly forming under the sodden ponies. Twilight frowned sympathetically at Fluttershy, but the timid and heartbroken pegasus refused to look up and meet her eyes. Twilight stepped in closely, and slipped her neck over top of Fluttershy's hunched nape, holding her closely, rubbing her cheek and neck against the dripping yellow fur.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Twilight asked.

Twilight could feel Fluttershy shaking her head 'no.'

Twilight stood there quietly, respecting Fluttershy's choice to remain silent, but after some moments the crestfallen yellow pony spoke. "I really thought we had a chance, Twilight. I wanted to forgive him. But, he moved on." She tried not to let it happen, but speaking made her choked up feeling want to turn into full weeping. "He slept with Pinkie Pie. Do you... do you think he knows how I feel about him? Do you think he knows I--" she pondered hesitently, "Do you think he knows I love him, and he's trying to hurt me on purpose?"

Twilight didn't say anything for a short while.

"No. I don't think he knows. I think he's just on the rebound."

Fluttershy nodded, drawing away to wipe her eyes and sniff. She blinked up at Twilight. Twilight's expression looked painfully embarrassed. Fluttershy wondered what she was thinking about that would give her such a self-conscious expression. Even more perplexing, she wondered what Twilight was staring at.

Fluttershy turned around to follow Twilight's gaze across the change room toward its destination: an alabaster unicorn with an immaculately kept mane, and wide, shocked eyes.

"Pinkie Pie slept with Big Mac?" Rarity asked, having made an educated guess about which stallion they were referring to.

There was no sense denying it now. They both nodded slowly.

"Why how utterly uncooth! How dreadfully scandalous! How terribly, hideously barbaric! You simply must tell me everything." Rarity's voice dropped an octave on the last word. She was practically salivating to hear all the salacious details of this latest gossip.

Twilight sighed. There was no reason to hold back. "I guess you were going to find out sooner or later, but you can't tell anypony, alright?"

Rarity zipped in, practically giddy with anticipation. "Why, darling, I am the soul of discretion, you know that!"

Twilight squinted one eye skeptically. She glanced at Fluttershy, who was wiping her eyes and muzzle softly.

Fluttershy gave Twilight a gentle nod.

"Have you seen Big Mac's new horse collar?" Twilight asked.

Rarity nodded emphatically, "Why it's completely divine, dear. Much better than that rustic brown monstrosity he used to wear."

Twilight replied, "Right, but, it has an enchantment on it. It won't come off his neck, and if a mare touches him, it'll make her feel good. Really really good." She winced slightly and watched Rarity, waiting for her to catch the drift.

Rarity hummed, and replied, "Oh," then she thought about it more and started grinning an utterly predatory grin. "Oh!" she sang. She laughed at all the savory deliciousness of this discussion. This is going to make her week, if not her month. "Uaha! Reeely? Why I simply had no idea such things could exist! Well it simply is no wonder that Pinkie Pie would sleep with him! Why, she must have been driven mad when she heard about such a thing!"

Rarity expression melted a little. "Poor Fluttershy, dear. To think that your favorite stallion would be such a base specimen that the moment he got some sordid pleasure spell, he would run off and start seducing Pinkie Pie with it. Why, couldn't he tell how you felt about him? At the very least he should have tried it on you first!"

They both gave Rarity a disgusted look, much to Rarity's shock. Twilight tried to bring her up to speed. "He did, Rarity." Rarity was worried now. What happened to her friends? They look so pained. "He did it without asking."

Rarity gasped! "Why of all the-- Fluttershy! Did he hurt you?!"

Fluttershy cowered away from Rarity's question, and the sight of her friend in such heartache filled Rarity with righteous indignation.

Twilight replied on Fluttershy's behalf. "He reached out and touched her before she even knew what was going on, but he ran off afterwards."

Rarity hummed. "So perhaps he did have some feelings for you, but they were all of the physical variety. Well, now you know, dear." She stepped in to join the two of them, giving them a group hug.

Fluttershy replied nervously, "Um. I know, but--"

Rarity shouted sweetly. "No buts, Fluttershy! Big Macintosh could never compare to your grace and dignity. Why, it seems he's little but a lowly, foul farm creature, incapable of your level of kindness. It simply wasn't meant to be. He doesn't deserve you."

Fluttershy hung her head listened to Rarity.

Rarity continued, "Well, first thing's first. He simply must have this collar taken away from him."

Twilight nods, "One step ahead of you, Rarity. Zecora and I have been working on a potion, and we have something that we think will break the spell and cause the collar to break. I've already given it to Applejack. We won't have to worry about this for long."

Pinkie Pie peeked around the corner of a row of lockers. Her hair was dry now, but it was still dangling straight and limply over her shoulders. She looked up at her friends with a guilt ridden expression.

Twilight and Fluttershy looked back sadly.

Rarity hummed softly, looking back and forth between her two sets of friends. "What say we all go inside and talk this out, hmm?"

Reluctantly, they all filed slowly back to the baths at Rarity's behest.

Despite Rarity's efforts to get them to talk, the spa visit mostly passed in silence.

It was anything but relaxing.