Gray clouds hung over Sweet Apple Acres and the Cutie Mark Crusaders at their club house. Apple Bloom decided it was a good idea to check the weatherproofing since a rain shower was scheduled for the day. Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle sat close to a window, staring at the overcast sky, and Scootaloo leaned on one hoof at the lunch table, boredom beginning to get the better of her.

The little orange pegasus sighed impatiently and trotted just outside the clubhouse entrance. “You sure you don't want an extra hoof up there, Apple Bloom?”

The apple-colored filly tapped a few tacks into some loose roof shingles. “No, thanks. Ah'm almost done up here, anyway. Why don't you an' Sweetie decide on some sorta' rainy day crusadin' activity while Ah finish up?”

Scootaloo peeked back at Sweetie Belle through the door, then back at Apple Bloom, before making up her mind. She had already attempted what Apple Bloom suggested not five minutes ago. The response she'd gotten when she asked if the unicorn filly had any ideas wound up trailing off with something about picnics at the end. When Scootaloo pointed out it wasn't good weather for picnicking, Sweetie just sighed. Scootaloo had suggested rafting, but, when Sweetie just “m-hmm”ed and nodded, it was obvious her friend wasn't listening.

“Sweetie Belle?” Sweetie blinked and hmm-ed, still staring out the window. The pegasus walked lightly next to her and sat to look out at whatever the unicorn was staring at—nothing but apple trees and cloudy skies. Everything looked a bit grayish. Suddenly, the winged filly felt a bit melancholy, remembering the events of two and three days ago with Rainbow and, until she'd left suddenly, Twilight Sparkle. She tried to push the thoughts aside. “Bit for your thoughts?” the pegasus pried.

Sweetie Belle looked down then back out the window, and several moments passed while she thought how to respond. Hammering was heard at intervals above their heads. “I'm mostly just thinking about a few days ago.”

“Oh ...” Sweetie looked sideways at Scootaloo who seemed to have caught whatever mood Sweetie was in, her gaze fixed outside now.

When Scootaloo didn't say anything more, Sweetie took the chance to shift the focus off herself. “How did flight training go?”

“Hmm? Flight training? Well, you know. ... ”

Sweetie Belle turned her head to better view her friend. Scootaloo wore a discouraged frown.

“Don't worry, Scootaloo. Fluttershy thinks you'll fly, even if it means you need pros—procsth—uhm ... artificial wing tips.”

Scootaloo seemed to ponder the idea briefly with a look of confusion.

“You mean prosthetic wings, I'm guessing, and,” she sighed, “I know. It's just ... most pegasi that need them can't do the amazing aerial stunts or tricks that Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts can. They can't really fly at all, even. I mean, without help.”

“Scoots, you aren't most pegasi.” Sweetie smiled wide at her friend. “You and Rainbow Dash have that in common, I think. Even Fluttershy said she thinks you're similar.”

Scootaloo considered her friend's words. “Really?!” Sweetie nodded, and was glad to see her effort to cheer Scootaloo paid off. “Fluttershy knew Rainbow Dash back before they even got their cutie marks!” Scootaloo's excitement was plain. “It must be true, if she said so. I mean ... sure. Rainbow Dash said it too, once, during the campout, but—you know—it's easy not to take a compliment from the nicest, coolest, all-around awesome-est pony totally seriously since, well, she could just be saying that because she wants to be nice, you know?”

Scootaloo cut her fangasm short when she noticed Sweetie's expression. She looked at Scootaloo with a smile, but her eyes were sad ... even glistening, maybe? Scootaloo wasn't good at reading ponies, but her gut told her something was up, and she always trusted her gut.

Sweetie suddenly became unsettled when Scootaloo leaned close to her, squinting and examining her eyes. “W-what is it?

“Are you ... alright, Sweetie Belle? You've been kind of distracted, and, just now, I thought—”

At that moment, Apple Bloom could be heard hopping off the roof to the landing in front of the clubhouse entrance, followed momentarily by the door opening. “Hey gals! We should be good up there when it starts t' rain later on.” Apple Bloom saw her friends staring at her as though they'd been caught off guard by her appearance. “Did Ah interrupt somethin'?

“Oh! No, not at all!” Sweetie took a few steps back from Scootaloo for comfort's sake. Her smile was plastic, but good enough to fool Apple Bloom.

“Well, didja come up with any ideas fer what we could do today?”

“Sorry,” Scootaloo responded. “We didn't think of anything, really ... except maybe rafting,” she added more energetically at the end. “When it rains, the water goes up and makes some pretty cool rapids!”

“Hmm,” Apple Bloom approached the Crusaders' map. “Well ... we could head on over to Ponyville Stream, Ah guess, but where do we find a proper raft?”

“Ponyville Stream is kind of small, actually. I was thinking we could go over to White Tail River and ask Mr. Whitewater for a raft.”

“Well, there's an idea, but do we have any funds fer rentin' a raft?”

The two looked to their treasurer. That was Sweetie's cue. “Oh! Umm,” Sweetie touched her chin, trying to recall what was left. “Actually, even though Spike gave us that gem, we went a bit past that and sort of drained our account. We only have a few bits left, unfortunately.”

“That won't cover half the price of a rental,” Apple Bloom commented.

“Well ... maybe Mr. Whitewater wouldn't mind doing us a favor for a good cause?”

“Mm,” Apple Bloom thought over the possibility, and suddenly raindrops could be heard falling outside. “Normally Ah'd agree, but, like y'all said, the rapids 'r gonna be high, n' Ah don't think he'll wanna spare a raft he could be rentin' on a day like today. Plus, White Tail River is pretty far, an' I wouldn't wanna spend an hour runnin' there n' then another hour back in the rain without the bits fer a sure shot at gettin' a raftin' cutie mark.”

Scootaloo's lips pursed and twisted, and she breathed out through them with a sigh, making a raspberry noise. “Well then, do you have any ideas?”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Ah was thinkin' while Ah checked the roof. Ah got nothin'. What about you, Sweetie Belle?”

The unicorn hadn't really thought much about what to do. If she was honest with herself, she would rather have gone straight to the library today, but she couldn't just blow off her friends, and Twilight had talked with her just yesterday about keeping a balanced social calendar for multiple reasons, among which was to avoid raising suspicion among her family that something was much different in the young filly's life. Sweetie's friends waited for her response. ... Well, she thought, since she had the chance, maybe she'd use the opportunity to her advantage. “Maybe we could do something like writing poetry or stories. The clubhouse is leak proof now, thanks to you, Apple Bloom. We may as well enjoy it.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom exchanged glances.

“I guess I have kind of been wanting to try my hoof at story writing. Rainbow Dash is writing an adventure novel herself, actually!” Scootaloo bit her lower lip to help curb her fanfillying for her friends’ sake.

“Well, all right. Let’s give it a shot then. It can’t be much harder than writin’ fer the Foal Free Press,” Apple Bloom added.

Sweetie considered whether she ought to press her luck and suggest going to the library to write, but, seeing how it was already raining and she’d already pointed out the advantage of staying in the clubhouse, she decided against it.

The Crusaders had a stash of paper and quills set aside for planning and other occasions like today’s. Very soon, they’d all set themselves to the task. Scootaloo wrote of an adventuring filly and her awesome mentor. Apple Bloom wrote the story of a filly who made it big as an author and earned her cutie mark. Meanwhile, Sweetie poured out what had been on her mind all morning in the form of a simple poem.

Neither of her friends seemed like the type who'd look too much into it, but Sweetie attempted to keep the poem vague, just in case, while taking advantage of the outlet. Soon they all traded papers and began to review what the other had written.

“A poem ‘bout flowers, Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom looked questioningly at the unicorn.

“Just read it.” Sweetie grinned and responded patiently, glad that her friend didn't suspect anything.

Powder pink tulips, daffodils yellow,

Bright spring mornings with nary a shadow,

Hearts begin blooming. The magic is real.

Oh how can I say the way that I feel?

Once, a young pony was sad and alone,

Made fun of at school and scolded at home.

Would anypony give her a safe place,

Show her she matters, return her embrace?

Could anypony love her as she was,

So small, so weak, and without her life’s cause?

She feared that maybe she wasn’t worth minding,

Angst, doubt, resentment, their scorn, all blinding.

Once a kind pony appeared like the sun,

Warmth, grace, and beauty all wrapped into one.

A smile so honest the filly’s heart swelled,

Her eyes it opened, her loneliness quelled.

Their love shown brightly, passion ignited.

Celestial power shaped love requited,

But just as she thought that as one they'd grow,

Curiosity's fire their trust would o'erthrow.

Lest sunny sweet posies and bright spring days

Now end in a frost, a lonely dark haze.

Hope's blaze must endure through fierce winds of trial.

Oh pray that shame not extinguish Love's smile!

Apple Bloom re-read the poem a couple times before looking back at its author. At first she seemed at a loss for words. “This is ... really good, Sweetie Belle!” She leaned momentarily to check Sweetie Belle's flank, half-expecting to see a cutie mark. “Is ... there any perticular reason ya left it on a cliffhanger?”

Sweetie had hoped for general comments. The specific question made her nervous.

“Umm,” she scrambled for a reason. “I guess, I just couldn’t think of an end?”

Apple Bloom blinked once. “Ah see.” Apple Bloom cleared her throat. While Scootaloo was absorbed in the pages of Apple Bloom’s story, the earth pony filly leaned in subtly toward Sweetie Belle and lowered her voice just enough to make it easy for Scootaloo to miss without raising any suspicion. “Listen. ... If ah didn't know any better ... Ah'd say that somepony’s ... in love.” Apple Bloom barely made audible the last two words.

The Apple filly’s eyes were half-lidded. She smiled knowingly at her unicorn friend whose nervousness suddenly became very apparent. Before Sweetie could respond at all, Apple Bloom resumed as if she knew nothing. “Of course, Ah do know better’n ta snoop in a friend’s business when it looks like she’d rather not talk about it.” She paused and, despite what she'd said, she squinted at the writing again. Sweetie opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off. “Why ya’d get a filly curious ‘n then tease her without any details, Ah guess, must be ‘cause ya seem t' have fergotten that that filly spends an awful lotta her free time with a rhymin’ zebra.” Apple Bloom looked back at Sweetie Belle smartly.

Sweetie kicked herself for what, in retrospect, seemed like an obvious oversight and, now, a huge risk. When Apple Bloom called for the critique of each other’s work, Sweetie had simply meant to spare Scootaloo the pain of reading what the pegasus would no doubt have considered pure mush. Needless to say, she now wished she’d chosen otherwise. Sweetie tried to play it cool. “I ... have ... no idea what you’re talking about,” her voice cracked awkwardly. ... Smooth. ... She put on her best poker face and wound up looking like Pinkie trying to conceal her corn cake addiction.

Apple Bloom tried to reassure her. “I’m sorry. Ah’m not makin’ a lick of sense, am Ah?” She feigned ignorance briefly, then looked concerned at Sweetie Belle. “Just know that, if ya need somepony to uh ... critique some future writin' on the same topic ... purely as works of fiction a’course—” the concern in Apple Bloom’s expression deepened “—ah want ya t’know, Ah’m here for ya.”

Sweetie Belle relaxed slightly and nodded. “I ... appreciate that, Apple Bloom. Really.” The little unicorn managed a small smile.

“You betcha! ‘N well, truth be told, Ah’m a bit worried about that cliffhanger. But, even before that ... it sounds like the young pony coulda had some better friends, maybe.”

Remorse painted itself across Apple Bloom’s features, and Sweetie Belle felt guilty, suddenly, at the role she’d written in the poem, or failed to write, as the case was, for her two best friends. “N-no, Apple Bloom. I, um ... I imagine she has fantastic friends, but I left that bit out since there’s nothing y—they could have done, really.” Sweetie felt an increasing desire to open up. “I think that young pony was missing a certain kind of love, even if she didn’t really know it before things started happening.”

Apple Bloom nodded, getting the gist. “What about gettin’ made fun of at school, though?” Apple Bloom inquired.

“It wasn’t exactly at school, but, recently, it was a certain couple from school,” Sweetie answered.

Scootaloo had just finished her analysis of Apple Bloom’s story and began listening in when Apple Bloom asked about getting made fun of. “Wait. Are you two talking about Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? What did they do this time?” Scootaloo began to get riled.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both started at being caught mid-discussion about the delicate subject matter. “Oh! Uhh ... Scootaloo, Sweetie was just talkin’ about the characters in her poem. Ya see—”

Sweetie Belle held up a hoof to stop her from going further and then released a heavy sigh. “Thank you, Apple Bloom. It’s alright. There’s no point pretending any more, and, well, I should trust my best friends.” She felt a pang of guilt to ask it of the two fillies, but she had to be safe. “Crusaders, will you Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony what I tell you now?”

The fillies complied, “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” and waited somberly.

“Recently, well ... um,” Sweetie blushed and allowed herself to smile at the happy confession, “I’ve fallen in love.”

Apple Bloom, already past the shock, looked smug. Meanwhile, Scootaloo's jaw practically hit the floor. “Wha!? Sweetie—you?!”

Unable to hold back her curiosity any more, Apple Bloom burst, “Well?! Who is it then? C'mon! Don't hold back the details!”

Sweetie's mouth twisted, and she looked down anxiously. “I—I can't ... say ... really.”

“Why not?!” her friends asked in unison with tortured tones.

“I ... promised not to,” Sweetie replied. The fact that she hadn’t explicitly promised didn’t matter to Sweetie. She knew the value of secrecy to both her and Fluttershy.

“Wait a minute,” Scootaloo interjected. “Promised who? I mean, this isn't just a secret crush, is it? You—you've actually got a secret coltfriend?!”

“Ooor,” Apple Bloom drew out the syllable. “Is it a fillyfriend?” Apple Bloom raised a suspecting eyebrow, and the two leaned eagerly toward Sweetie for an answer.

“I—I'm sorry, girls. I promised, and the less I say ... the better, honestly.” She saw her friends' eager smiles turn to frowns, and she sighed again. “I can tell you a little, I guess,” Sweetie conceded. “It ... it happened all of a sudden, but ... it feels right. It's somepony I admire who's really sweet and caring ... and—no offense to you girls, but I wish we could see each other right now. It's just ... complicated.” Sweetie frowned.

“This wouldn't have anything t' do with curiosity's fire 'n some sorta trust issue would it?” Apple Bloom guessed.

“You are way too clever for my own good.” Sweetie responded flatly and a tiny bit annoyed, but she smiled. She couldn't be upset with Apple Bloom. If Sweetie were honest with herself, she was glad to have it out in the open between her and her friends.

Apple Bloom grinned sheepishly, her ears folded back at Sweetie's chiding. “Ah'm sorry! Ah mean,” the lingually gifted filly excused herself, “Ah can't help it if ah have a knack fer understandin' fancy talk, and Ah did offer t' pretend Ah didn't know, after all.” She feigned a pout.

The two broke out in giggles briefly. Scootaloo was simply confused by the exchange. “You two totally lost me.”

“Oh, sorry, Scoot. Y'see, Sweetie Belle's poem tipped me off about her bein' in love.” Apple Bloom filled in their pegasus friend about what had happened, and, when Scootaloo looked uninterested at the suggestion of listening to the poem, instead, the earth filly simply explained what it said.

Sweetie's expression turned glum at her friend's summary of the last two verses, and her friends looked at her with concern. “So that's why you were staring out the window and stuff earlier, I guess,” Scootaloo realized. Sweetie nodded and looked down. The Earth and pegasus fillies exchanged a look and a nod before moving to either side of their friend and wrapping their forelegs around her. Sweetie quietly accepted the gesture. It felt good to know her friends cared. “We're here for you,” Scootaloo assured her simply and warmly.

“After everythin' we've been through together, it must really be serious if ya can't tell us all the details, but Ah want ya t' know that, when ya wanna talk about it, we'll be ready 'n willin' t' listen. And we won't tell a soul anythin' you want us t' keep secret, right, Scoot?”

“Pinkie promise,” the pegasus confirmed.

“Thank you, girls.” Though still concerned about her relationship issues with Fluttershy, Sweetie smiled wide and wrapped her forelegs around her friends. “You’re the best friends I could ask for.” Sweetie released the two, and they each detached themselves.

Apple Bloom’s delayed reaction, no longer suppressed, suddenly manifest. “Just, wow, Sweetie Belle! You have a ... a special somepony! And that part about passion! H-have ya ... kissed?” Each of the crusaders went pink in the cheeks at the question. When Sweetie nodded, the shade deepened and spread further across each of her friends’ faces.

“R-really?! You don’t even have a cutie mark, but he ... or she thinks you’re that special? Do ... they have their cutie mark yet?” Scootaloo was wide-eyed.

“Mhmm.” Again, Sweetie nodded while looking at the clubhouse floor.

“Ohh! Ah’m just so curious! Ah wish ya didn’t hafta keep who it is a secret!” Apple Bloom raised a hoof to her face to help calm herself.

Sweetie bit her lip. Keeping the secret wasn’t easy, but she remembered what could happen if the truth spread. “What if ... I mean ... is there any kind of pony that either of you think ... maybe a young filly like me should ... avoid?” Sweetie asked.

“You mean, like ... somepony who’s really weak?” Scootaloo guessed.

“Or dumb as a pile o’ rocks?” Apple Bloom added.

“Or smells really bad?” Scootaloo continued.

“No, no. ... They’re none of those things, in fact ... they’re ... really talented, and uhm ... smell really good.” The little unicorn’s blush returned. She felt a bit dazed and then a bit guilty at the memory.

Apple Bloom put her hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Are they a hard worker?”

“I think so, yes. I mean they’re usually busy with ... um ... things that I think are good.”

“Are they, uhm ... healthy?” Scootaloo inquired.

“Uh-huh. Nothing wrong there, as far as I can tell.”

A moment of silence passed as the Crusaders thought of what would make for a decent filly/coltfriend. “I think that’s all the important stuff ‘s long as ya like their look ‘n feel ... and their breedin’ fer that matter ... plus, y’already said they’re nice.”

“Their ... breeding?” Scootaloo asked.

“Well, yeah ... Ah mean, it’s not so important to everypony, but in the Apple family, well, we tend t’ marry cousins pretty often, and, take Canterlot royalty fer example, them too.”

“What?! Really?!” Scootaloo looked shocked. Sweetie Belle was surprised as well.

“W-well, Ah mean ... Ah can see how others might think it’s a ... bit odd.” Apple Bloom’s tone became soft and she blushed a little, embarrassed to have exposed something that might make her friends look down on her family.

“I, um,” Sweetie Belle tried to offer reassurance, “I think it’s okay, Apple Bloom. If you or anypony in your family wants to marry a cousin, why should it matter, right?”

“I—” Scootaloo pondered, “—guess that’s alright, yeah.”

Apple Bloom smiled a little. “R-right! Thanks fer understandin’ Sweetie Belle ... both of you.” She smiled and nodded at Scootaloo as well. “So why’d ya wanna know what t’ avoid, anyway, Sweetie Belle?”

“Um ... w-well ...” Sweetie Belle stalled, unsure how to answer and her discomfort obvious, until Scootaloo interrupted her.

“It’s alright, Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo wore a concerned expression. “You know, no matter what kind of pony your special somepony is, we think you're the greatest, right? Beside, you chose him or her, so he or she can’t be bad!”

“Couldn’a said it better myself,” Apple Bloom agreed.

Sweetie Belle swallowed and, a moment later, made her decision. “W-well, what if ... the pony I’m in love with is ... older?”

Her friends waited but received no further description. “Older?” Scootaloo responded.

“How old do ya mean?”

“Well ... let’s just say ... not in school any more.”

“So like ... Namby Pamby’s age?” Apple Bloom suggested.

“Um ... I mean ... older than that.”

“What about Rumble’s age?” Scootaloo added.

Sweetie shook her head. “Older.”

“What about, um ... Pinkie Pie’s age?” Apple Bloom ventured.

“Th-that’s closer, just, um ... a little bit older.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other to check that they weren’t the only one who couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So, like, our sisters’ age?!” Apple Bloom inquired.

Sweetie Belle looked at her friends worriedly and nodded.

“Wow!” was all Apple Bloom could say.

Scootaloo was beside herself. Several moments passed, and finally Apple Bloom spoke again. “What—I mean ... why would ya fall fer somepony old enough t’ be, well,” she thought of the pony who’d helped raise her, “almost old enough t’ be yer mother or father?”

“I—um ... I ... just ... meant ...” Sweetie wished she could back out now. “I guess being older might mean they’re smarter, and, um ... that they can help you do things you wouldn’t be able to if it were just two foals ... r-right?”

“Do things like what, exactly?” Apple Bloom couldn’t think of anyplace to go or anything they hadn’t done with just the three of them beyond what would be considered dangerous for anypony, even adults, to do.

“Well, umm—” Sweetie cleared her throat “—more mature things, like, maybe ... reading an advanced book. Oh! Or teaching you about, um ... the things they do for work, or maybe, well ...” None of these things seemed like something she couldn’t do with an older friend or her sister, nothing for which she’d need a special somepony. “Maybe ... maybe I just like being ... held by somepony bigger than me.”

The embarrassment was plain in her voice, but Apple Bloom was too curious to dismiss any further answers Sweetie might have to spare her unicorn friend. The little unicorn began to worry where she was going with her reasons, but her anxiety only made her think less clearly. “Or ... maybe, we ... c-could get married.”

“Is that ... even possible fer a filly our age?!” Apple Bloom questioned, blown away at the thought.

Before Sweetie could respond, Scootaloo recovered herself from stunned silence and stepped back from the two.

“N-no. ... No way! It ... it shouldn’t be allowed! Not even if they seem nice or smart or everypony likes them and they—” Scootaloo began to breathe heavily “—even if they ... seem trustworthy!” She finished, almost shouting.

Sweetie Belle had quickly shrunken, lowering herself and folding her ears back. Apple Bloom looked between the two of them, alarmed, and then fixed her gaze harshly on Scootaloo. “Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom reprimanded her. “Whaddya mean, actin’ like that?”

The orange pegasus was thrown by the sharpness of her friend’s tone. “Wha—me?! S-she’s the one talking about marrying a pony two times her age ... and while she’s still discovering her special talent! It—it’s sick! It’s wrong! Apple Bloom? You can’t think that’s alright, can you?!”

Apple Bloom grimaced as she though about it, but softened when she looked down at Sweetie Belle next to her, trembling slightly, now close to tears. “Ah—ah don’t know, t’ tell ya the truth. Maybe it’s wrong, and maybe not, but—” the look of uncertainty on her face hardened once more into disapproval “—the way ye’r talkin’ is no way to talk to a friend, much less a fellow Crusader! Just lookit what it’s doin’ to poor Sweetie!”

Apple Bloom looked again at Sweetie sympathetically and placed a hoof on her withers to comfort her. Sweetie sniffled and tears began to roll down her cheeks. It was bad enough Scootaloo was upset, but now she was the cause for an argument between her best friends. She looked up at Scootaloo speechlessly, pleading, and the pegasus filly felt her heart pricked.

Scootaloo's indignation was still hot, ready to vent until her friends conceded she was right, but sorrow fought and began to overwhelm the small pegasus's ill temper at what she saw in Sweetie's eyes.

“I—” Scootaloo stammered, and her tone softened. “Sweetie, I'm s-sorry.” Her eyes, full of anger-mixed sorrow, watered.

“A-are you ... mad at me, Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo turned to the side and shut her eyes tightly.

“N-no ... I'm not mad at you. At least ... I can't stay angry.”

Sweetie's tears stopped, and both she and Scootaloo began to collect themselves. A moment passed in silence. As Apple Bloom saw Sweetie rise and Scootaloo's indignation fade, she spoke.

“Well, that explains why ya can't tell us who it is then, Ah guess. ... An' Ah don't blame ya, of course ... I mean, assumin' ya really love this pony like ya say, and they're not, well ... I hope ye'll pardon me fer sayin' it, but, assumin' they're not sick in the head, like Scootaloo said.”

Sweetie cringed slightly. She didn’t want to believe Fluttershy was sick that way, but she had seen her in a state that no normal pony would call healthy. Doubt crept slowly into Sweetie Belle’s thoughts. It started to scare her, trap her. “N-nopony is perfect, right?” Sweetie sniffled again, and her eyes glistened, but a determined look formed there and at the corners of her mouth. She looked up at her friends, both afraid and hopeful at their responses.

Apple Bloom seemed caught off guard by the question. “Well ... no, but ya don’t hafta settle, either, Sweetie. Ye’r probably the cutest filly in school, y’know, and yer smart and fun too.”

“L-listen, Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo said. “You ... know the story of how Ruby Pinch ... got hurt by an older pony she really liked and trusted. ... I—I’m sorry again for how I acted. I just don’t think that an adult who’d want to ... to do what married ponies do, but with a filly ... can be trusted, no matter who it is.”

Sweetie Belle shut her eyes and tried to shut out her friends' doubts as well. “Stop! Please, both of you! I—I trust them! They make me happy!” Sweetie thought of running to the library, but the part of her that wanted and still hoped desperately for her friends’ support held her back. “Please. I—I just want us to be happy together,” Sweetie begged. “Apple Bloom, I’m really not settling,” at least she didn’t think so. “Scootaloo ... what happened to Pinch is terrible, but how could you know that all adults that like fillies are that way? Y-you're my very best friends, and I'm afraid ...” Sweetie didn't want to finish saying it.

“Afraid what?” Apple Bloom prompted, her softly.

“I'm afraid that everypony, my family, and, worst of all, you two, will leave me if I do what my heart tells me.” Apple Bloom shook her head, and Scootaloo's sorrow intensified, erasing her anger.

“Sweetie ... I mean what I said. ... It doesn't matter who you love. I'm your friend no matter what, but I don't know if ... I just,” Scootaloo paused, conflicted. “Why would you want to get married right now?!” the pegasus asked, confused and frustrated.

“I guess ... because I ... I love the attention, the ... thought of ... um ... what married ponies do together. I ... don’t see any reason not to get married. I mean, it’s not like it would stop me from going to school.” Sweetie thought of balancing her time like Twilight had taught her. “I ... wouldn’t be able to come to the clubhouse quite as often, but I promise I’d still spend time with you girls.” Scootaloo perked up slightly as she heard the promise.

“Ya will. Won’t ya?” Apple Bloom smiled. It suddenly became apparent to Sweetie how much this meant to both her friends. She’d been so worried about them abandoning her that she hadn’t thought they might be worried about the same thing.

“Yes. Definitely!” the little unicorn resolved. “And if either of you ever wants me to spend more time with you, then, please, tell me, and I’ll make it happen, as long as I can at least spend half my free time with my special somepony.” Her friends seemed happy. The unicorn’s hopes rose.

“Of course.” Scootaloo smiled momentarily, but her lingering concern was made evident by the frown that followed. “But there’s still ... one thing, um ... Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo looked to her earth pony friend. “Could I talk to you privately for a minute?”

The bow on the Apple filly’s head bobbed as she nodded and stepped away from Sweetie to follow Scootaloo to the farthest corner of the clubhouse. Sweetie herself respectfully moved away from the two and faced her nearest wall to afford them a little extra privacy. There wasn’t much space inside, and nopony wanted to get wet by stepping outside at the moment.

Rain trickled down through leaves and branches to fall on the tree house roof, pitter-pattering as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom spoke in low tones, incomprehensible to Sweetie Belle. Sweetie sighed quietly, closed her eyes, and took the opportunity to let her mind and emotions settle. She had a couple ideas of what Scootaloo’s last concern could be and tried to prepare herself to address it.

Soon enough, the Earth and pegasus fillies seemed to come to some agreement, and the two approached Sweetie Belle again who, as she heard Apple Bloom clear her throat, turned back to face them once more. The two wore serious expressions, though Scootaloo still seemed to be the most concerned of the two.

“Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom began, “we’ve been thinkin’ over what ye’ve told us, and, we’d both like t’ know—that is ... it may be none of our business, and if ya can’t or don’t wanna answer, then we won't keep pryin'. And, also, Ah hope ye’ll forgive me fer puttin’ this bluntly, but ... have ya had sex with the pony ye've been tellin' us about?”

Sweetie Belle had guessed closely enough what the concern was. She considered taking the option to not answer for a moment. “Before I answer, will you tell me why you want to know?”

Her friends exchanged a brief glance, and Scootaloo nodded to Apple Bloom encouragingly. “We’d like t’ know because ... we’re worried that, if ya have, ya may have been hurt, and, if ye’ve been hurt, then we’d like t’ take ya to a doctor or, maybe, since ye’r worried about privacy, to Zecora t’ get checked up.” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo watched the unicorn filly’s reaction closely, but her expression remained unchanged, calm. “Also ... we’re worried that, even if ya aren’t hurt, we want ya t’ be pertected ‘n perpared, like Ms. Cheerilee taught us all,” Apple Bloom paused, and, for a brief moment, her expression betrayed something other than the cool serious one she’d worn up to that point. “‘N also ... well ... even though we all know we’re not s’posed ta, we’re curious t’ know ... what it’s like.” The Apple filly blushed to think about it while Scootaloo grimaced and looked a bit ill.

Sweetie Belle began to smile. “Alright. I understand. ... Well, first of all, I’m not hurt, and they’ve never touched my filly parts. Um ... I-I know you’ve both already promised, but ... will you, um ... please double promise me not to ever tell anypony what I’m about to tell you?”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked with respective intrigue and uncertainty at each other before double promising to keep the secret.

“I ... sort of ... got carried away and I ... um ... well ... crossed a line I shouldn’t have ... w-when they were napping, and ... it led to ... something,” Sweetie went red-faced, “and now ... that’s kind of why we agreed we can’t be alone together until—” she sighed “—until, like you said, I’m better prepared and ... and things.” Sweetie Belle turned glum at the end, remembering their supervised probation with Twilight.

“Y—ya mean, ya did somethin' that landed ya ... in trouble?!” Apple Bloom couldn’t believe it. Sweetie nodded. Apple Bloom was shocked, and Scootaloo looked repulsed.

“I'm afraid I'll regret asking, but ... what kind of something did crossing the line lead to?” the orange pegasus inquired.

“U-um ... maybe I s-shouldn't say.” Scootaloo wouldn't really want to know anyway, Sweetie thought.

“Aw, c'mon! Pleeease, Sweetie! If Scootaloo doesn't wanna hear then she doesn't hafta. You can just whisper it t' me!”

“H-hey, wait a minute! I'm the one who asked, remember! I-I mean ... okay. M-maybe I wouldn't be totally grossed out to hear about it.” Scootaloo started to blush a little.

Sweetie was caught a little off guard by Scootaloo's sudden admission. She saw an opportunity. “Oh! Scootaloo, it's alright. You don't have to pretend to be interested just for me,” she feigned politeness. “I know you're just not the type to like this sort of super mushy detail. I'll just tell Apple Bloom and spare you the gross part. Come closer, Apple Bloom.”

Sweetie couldn't hold back a sly little smile at Scootaloo's reaction as Apple Bloom eagerly trotted to her side. The orange filly was left, wings and mouth open, momentarily speechless as the chance to hear about what happened appeared to be slipping past her. “N-no! Wait-wait!” Scootaloo repeated. “I really do want to know! I'm not pretending!” Sweetie Belle waited, smirking. “A-alright, fine ... I think, even though it's mushy, it's not ... too gross.”

“Not tooo gross?” Sweetie's smirk grew into a wide grin, her eyes half-lidded, watching the pegasus's chagrin.

Apple Bloom caught on and stifled a giggle. The pegasus wore an expression of agonized embarrassment as she suddenly realized what Sweetie wanted from her.

“U—W-well, um ... I, uh—I mean, I ... don't-think-it's-gross,” she finished quickly, mumbling.

“I'm sorry, Scootaloo. Did I hear you say that you think seeeexx,” she drew out the word just to see her friend squirm, and couldn't help blushing a little herself, “isn't gross? Do you actually think that seeeexx might be something you'd really like to hear about?”

“Y-y-y—yes.”

“Yes? Yes what?”

Scootaloo scowled at the unicorn.

“Y—YES, I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT SEX, ALREADY!”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom broke into peals of laughter. “I'm sorry, Scoot,” Sweetie said several moments later, still giggling. “I just—” the filly stopped herself, seeing finally how uncomfortable she'd made her friend “—I was a little ... upset when you called it sick earlier, but it wasn't very ladylike of me.” Sweetie smiled sheepishly.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, exasperated at her friends' behavior, but couldn't help grinning a little, despite her embarrassment. It felt good to lighten the mood anyway, she allowed. Scootaloo humphed then let out a brief chuckle before clearing her voice to call her friends back to the order at hoof. “Well? Go on then,” the pegasus filly attempted to move things along with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

Sweetie cleared her voice as well and wiped the corners of her eyes where laughter had left tears. “Well,” she began, suddenly a little nervous again, but with her friends' support and interest to buoy her, “after, um—oh! This is silly. ... I hate saying 'they' and 'he or she' all the time!” She exhaled, frustrated. The secrecy had worn on Sweetie, and she felt it would be a little too awkward to avoid naming her special somepony's sex as she described the actions she’d performed. “I ... I think I can make a tiny exception to my promise and tell you both that my special somepony is a—a she.”

“Ah knew it!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Scootaloo considered the revelation. “Well ... that's one way your situation is different from what Pinch's was, I guess.” Though it had never left Scootaloo's thoughts, her comment served a sobering reminder to her friends. Sweetie gave a somber nod.

“D-do either of you think that's ... weird? Wanting to marry another filly?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “My parents told me once that fillies sometimes marry each other before they find a stallion they both like.”

Apple Bloom touched her chin thoughtfully. “Granny says that two mares oughta find a stallion b’fore gettin’ hitched, but, well ... it’s not really weird t’ me, Ah suppose, just, uh ... goes against tradition. ... Doesn't mean ah think ya should love yer special somepony any less, though.”

Sweetie nodded, answering with a timid smile. “Thank you, both, again ... for being such great friends.”

The two beamed back at her with a simultaneous, “A' course!” “What're friends for?”

“So, go on then! Ah’m ... Ah mean we’re both dyin’ t’ hear what happened.” Apple Bloom looked to Scootaloo and stifled another giggle.

The natural cheer and curiosity of foalhood brought the Crusaders back to the excitement of sharing Sweetie’s experience. Finally, Sweetie felt she could let herself gush. “Let me start from the beginning ...”

Sweetie regaled her friends with her fillyfriend’s confession and how they came to share their first kiss. After so much hesitation and worry, Sweetie could finally be like any normal schoolfilly talking about her first love.

“Y-you just kissed her ... like that?!” Scootaloo couldn’t believe how forward her friend had been.

Sweetie nodded bashfully. “It—I mean ... I was thinking about what it would be like to kiss her ever since she said she wanted to be my special somepony. At first, I was nervous, but she’s so ... so nice, and I couldn’t stay nervous. And then she was just so ... happy when I said yes, and then, like I said, she started apologizing for holding me too tight, and I just thought she looked really, um ... cute, I guess,” Sweetie blushed, “and I ... I couldn’t help myself, then,” the horned filly ended in a sort of nervous giggle.

Apple Bloom leaned on one hoof, dazed and pink-faced, caught up in a vision of Sweetie kissing the mysterious dream mare. “What happened then?! D-didja ... you know, a-ah mean.. how do two fillies go about, um ... doin’ things t’gether?” Apple Bloom dared not guess, though she knew from private experimentation more than she wanted to let on.

“Not yet, but I’ll get there.” Sweetie enjoyed teasing her friends just a little, having their full attention and watching their anticipation. “I asked Fluh-uhds ...” Sweetie’s heart skipped a beat. “I asked floods of questions to my ... very special somepony about how two fillies could ... do things together,” she finished nervously.

“Floods a’ questions?”

“What’s that mean?”

Sweetie gulped. “Sorry, I just mean I asked her lots — lots of questions.”

“Oh. ... Why don’t you just say that, then?” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. She was surrounded by dictionaries.

The two seemed to buy it. Sweetie exhaled, relieved, and resolved not to let her guard down again. “N-nevermind that. ... I asked her after she told me how she felt about me, but, like I said, I’ll get to that in a bit. ... A-anyway, after I kissed her ...”

As Sweetie continued her account, Apple Bloom went back to staring off into space, resting on the clubhouse floor, while Scootaloo leaned forward, sitting with her wings spread, twitching and flapping occasionally with a certain sort of nervous energy.

Sweetie made it all the way through the part where Fluttershy held her on the couch when, from outside, a certain orange pony in a raincoat quietly approached.

Applejack made it a habit to check on her sister and friends occasionally for a number of reasons, more than anything because she remembered their own mother doing so. In her mouth, Applejack carried a basket with a hot kettle and cups. Hot cocoa had seemed like a good companion to the cold rain. The quintessential Apple grew nostalgic, remembering when mother would bring her and her friends snacks the same exact way. Now, as she often did when given the opportunity, Applejack paused just outside the Crusaders’ window to listen in. It wasn’t so much eavesdropping, she thought, as it was an honest mare appreciating an honest discussion, the kind friends shared when they felt they could rely on each other to accept each others’ confidences.

Listening gave AJ the chance to see how close and how healthy her little sisters' friendships really were, and, sometimes, it allowed her to attempt an escape if she walked in on something she'd rather not be a part of. The time the Crusaders had practiced for the talent show, she hadn't been so lucky, of course, but it had saved her at other times, and, once, it had given her some insight into the group's relationship with Babs and prompted Applejack to indirectly urge the three fillies to forgive her bullying, while respecting that they wanted to deal with it alone.

As a sister and caretaker, Applejack would always do her best to keep Apple Bloom's trust in her, so of course she never whispered a word to anypony about what she'd heard whenever she listened uninvited. Over the sound of the rain, the motherly Earth pony just made out the sound of Sweetie Belle's voice, confirming, as she'd guessed, the fillies had stayed inside today, after all.

“Kissing felt really good, so, I thought, why not try the other stuff too? You know? I-I mean, I know we're not supposed to, but ... I don't know.” Sweetie found it difficult to explain her fascination with her special somepony's sex. “H-haven't either of you been just ... a little curious? I mean, we see it all the time”—the quaint ponies of Ponyville didn't normally wear clothes—“but ... n-never really close up, and ... well ... the diagrams at school just ... aren't the same, right?”

Applejack couldn't believe her ears.

“A-ah reckon not,” Apple Bloom conceded.

“W-well, yeah, I mean ... my mom told me it's really not polite to stare down there, but it sounds ...” Scootaloo swallowed, “sounds like it'd be interesting t-to take a closer look at.” Her eyes darted from the floor to Apple Bloom, then to Sweetie, then back at the floor several times.

“R-right!” Sweetie was glad they could relate a little. “And, like I said a while ago, earlier I ... asked how two fillies could ... be together that way, so I was extra curious, I guess. What she told me was that fillies sometimes use their horns, their wings, a-and their tongues instead of a ... a wiener.”

Who could have told little Sweetie Belle about that?! Applejack questioned, silently shocked.

“But Ah—” Apple Bloom interjected “—Ah thought only older ponies really cared about that sorta thing. N-now don't get me wrong, the way ye've been talkin' makes it all sound pretty, um ... excitin', and, well ... honestly, Ah like hearin' about it, though I can't explain why, but we barely know anything about that stuff, n' y'all just suddenly thought, after askin' some questions, it'd be a good idea t', well—” the Apple foal realized she was getting ahead of herself “—what exactly did ya do?” she asked with genuine fascination.

“If you'll let me finish, you'll find out,” the unicorn giggled at Apple Bloom's eager expression, “and ... I'll try to answer why.” Apple Bloom fell silent so that Sweetie would continue. “So I slipped between her legs, careful not to wake her up ... and, when I was part way, I tried just seeing what it felt like to put our ... um ... our filly parts together.”

Two fillies and one mare were riveted in place.

“It was warm and ... and so soft!” Sweetie melted at the memory. “But, pretty soon, I couldn't stay like that any more so, to get a better look, I went down farther. ... When I was all the way down, I um ... tried just looking at first, and,” Sweetie turned beet red, “I s-smelled her, then I ... I tasted her.”

Applejack nearly fainted, her basket almost sliding out of her mouth before she caught it and set it down carefully to rest her jaw.

“Y-you what?!” Scootaloo exclaimed. Apple Bloom covered her face with both hooves, simultaneously incredulous and anxious now as she realized the story was coming close to its end.

“I-I licked her part, and I ... tasted her.” Sweetie Belle waited for the shock to wear off a little before continuing. “Before I got used to how she smelled, I didn't want to try it, but, well,” Sweetie coughed nervously, “I touched myself down there before I did, just to see what it felt like first, and, while I did, I felt tingly, and she kind of started to smell not-so-weird. ... So, um ... after I tasted it and it was alright, I tried, um ... putting my tongue ... inside, but—”

Suddenly Scootaloo's forelegs collapsed beneath her. Sweetie Belle paused and both fillies looked at her. The pegasus panted a little, perspiring lightly, her wings trembling subtly.

“Are ... you okay, Scootaloo?” Sweetie checked.

The orange foal wore a dazed look and muttered something to the effect of, “J-just-okay. D-don't-mind ... please ... go-on.” Sweetie and Apple Bloom both suddenly thought that they knew exactly what had happened, and both, just as suddenly, dutifully tried to ignore it.

“Umm ... well, anyway ... that seemed a little too, uh ... unusual for me, so, instead, I licked a different part, and ... she, umm ... made noise and started talking soft, like she was asleep, but ... she—I mean, I had woken her up, and, I ... I really don't know what I was thinking, doing all that in the first place.” Sweetie sighed.

“Well, of course ya got caught! A-ah mean, what did ya expect?!” The Apple filly was baffled that her normally bright friend would act that way.

“I guess, well ... yeah; it was dumb, but, it made me feel—it’s hard to explain, but um, maybe you know.” The unicorn looked significantly at Scootaloo with a grin.

“W-what does that mean?” Scootaloo suddenly felt embarrassed. Though she had recovered herself mostly, she remained on the floor for good measure.

“Let’s just say ... really excited.” Sweetie chuckled. “I could forget all about everything except her, and, I guess I just ...” the unicorn filly struggled to explain, not only to her friends, but also to herself why she’d acted on her urges. Her concentration intensified, and she was silent for a couple seconds before she found an answer she didn’t quite expect, making her eyes glisten. “I wanted to know that I could be special, and, I thought, maybe if I could learn and do more to make her happy, then maybe I might be. ... Of course, it was exciting too, like I said. I guess it’s dumb, but ... sometimes, I just feel like ... I’ll always be just plain me, and ... un-special. Does that make any sense?”

Silence settled among the three as the Earth filly and pegasus thought about what they’d been told. Eventually, Apple Bloom nodded. Scootaloo still looked puzzled. “What about your family, though? What about us? You know you’re special to us, right? And Ms. Cheerilee and our other friends too.”

Sweetie thought about the good times she’d spent with family, cooking with her mother, racing and camping with Rarity, listening to her dad sing her to sleep and learning to sing with him. She thought about how Ms. Cheerilee taught and praised her, how Pinkie Pie and others played with her, how her two closest friends were almost always at her side ... how they were there to support her even now.

Sweetie thought next about so many arguments she’d had with Rarity, the way she was scolded and sometimes shuffled off by her parents, the apparent indifference of Ms. Cheerilee when bullies picked on her, the way many of her Ponyville friends, even her two best friends, sometimes ignored her. She thought about how her fellow crusaders often wouldn’t listen to reason and how she felt like she shared fewer interests in common with them than they did with each other—like she was a third wheel.

She weighed the positive against the negative for a minute, and, in the end, came to the conclusion that she had it pretty good. She wasn't, by any means, a negative Nellie. Usually, Sweetie thought she stayed optimistic. Still, when compared to all the other ponies in her life up to that point, only one had ever been so reliable, so kind, and so attentive. Even though it all still felt new, only Fluttershy had ever gone so far as to risk her reputation and all of her friendships just to be closer to Sweetie.

Sweetie finally broke the silence.

“It’s different with my very special somepony, I think. I don’t mean I feel ‘special’ like ... like everypony is special. I mean ‘special’ like—” Sweetie recalled bits and pieces from when Rarity had gushed to her on numerous occasions about colts she liked or wished she could find. Now, she really understood, and her sister’s words genuinely became her own “—when I’m with her, she makes me feel like I’m ... more important to her than anypony else in the whole world ... sometimes, with just the way she looks at me. I don’t feel that way with anypony else.”

Just outside the clubhouse window the older pony still listened. Shock and anxiety had plastered themselves on the spying mare’s face until that point. Now, however, her expression softened, and her disgust replaced itself with surprise. Her sister’s young friend was really, truly in love with a pony—at least it seemed that way to her—and, whoever that pony was, AJ thought, genuinely seemed to love Sweetie Belle.

“W-wow.” Scootaloo finally admitted to herself that what Sweetie had in a special somepony, she wanted as well. The orange filly worried she was becoming soft.

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom sighed with a far off look in her sunset eyes. “Ah can’t wait t’ find a colt like that ... er maybe—Ah mean, it sounds like a filly might work out really well too, Ah s’pose.”

Sweetie smiled, truly happy as she thought about her perfect match. “I hope you do, someday. You both deserve it! I just hope you’ll know better than to make the same mistakes I have.” Sweetie grimaced a little, but her spirits remained high.

“Oh, right!” Scootaloo commented as she and Apple Bloom snapped back to reality. “So ... what happened then, after she woke up?”

“Well,” Sweetie thought again about the events that followed, and hesitated, “um ... it took a little effort to get her to admit she was awake. She started breathing hard and then I stopped ‘cause I was worried. When she pretended to sleep talk and asked me to keep going, I, um ... I told her I would, if she admitted she was awake, so ... she did, and she said she was sorry. Then she said she was surprised when she first realized, erm ... what I was doing, but then she didn’t want it to stop. So I kept going ... and, um,” Sweetie felt too embarrassed to admit she’d been scared at witnessing her first orgasm, “well, s-she finished, and then I said I was sorry for doing something we weren’t ready for ...” Sweetie improvised the rest of the story, keeping it simple. “After that, we ... agreed we’d spend no more time alone together, basically, until we knew we could both be, um ... in control of our ... urges when we’re around each other.”

“Well, that sounds reasonable,” Apple Bloom responded. “How d'ya know when that’ll be?”

“Honestly?” Sweetie answered. “I don’t really know yet. Neither of us do, and we might not know for a while. I feel like it would be so much easier if we could just get married now, and then we wouldn’t have to hold back, but ... she said I’m too young.” Sweetie finished with a scowl.

Applejack wasn’t sure she heard correctly. It sounded like Sweetie said I’m, not we’re, which would mean that Sweetie’s special somepony wasn’t too young. The thought of such a large age gap made Applejack feel even less certain and more anxious about everything she’d heard so far.

“Oh, yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “That’s what ah was askin’ about earlier. How’re ya ever gonna get married if the law won’t let ya? What will ya do if ya can’t get married?”

“And what about when you grow up?” Scootaloo added. “You said she ... likes that you're little, right?” Despite trying, Scootaloo couldn't hold back a tone of disgust.

Sweetie had fortunately had the chance to receive answers to these questions during her last meeting with Twilight. “She told me she’ll love me for the rest of our lives, and she’ll wait if we have to, and ... if I ever change my mind,” Sweetie actually scoffed at the idea, “then I could call it quits. ... I told her that’s never going to happen.”

Everypony listening was overwhelmed to some degree at what they’d heard.

Applejack considered leaving and not returning, but decided it would have been a waste of good cocoa. Instead, she quietly picked up the basket, softly walked down the tree house ramp the same way she’d approached, then, in an effort to give the group warning, clopped almost too loudly back up the entry ramp. By the time she reached the top, Apple Bloom had already opened the door to greet her. The older sister chitchatted briefly and left the still-warm cocoa with the thanks of all three fillies. The sweet beverage was a welcome break after so much shocking news. Applejack left with a friendly reminder to return the cups and kettle and couldn’t help but cast a concerned parting glance at the little unicorn she’d practically considered a second sister ever since the Sisterhooves Social.

Applejack fretted and wondered if she should tell Rarity or Sweetie’s parents, her respect for the fillies' privacy warring with her sense of how wrong it sounded to her. It didn’t seem as though Sweetie was in any immediate danger, but whoever it was that the little filly had done those things with sounded ill-minded, even if she was well-meaning, AJ thought. Only sick ponies would fall in lust with such a little filly, despite being, AJ guessed, a fully grown mare. Over the next several days, all Applejack would be able to tell, having kept a close eye on the little unicorn, was that Sweetie seemed to like reading more than the average foal. In spite of the lack of evidence that Sweetie might be in trouble, she still worried she was missing something. The troubled mare could only stay vigilant to try and find out who the filly's mysterious special somepony was.

Despite the drama and intrigue of Sweetie's love life, the three fillies passed the rest of that afternoon without obtaining a single cutie mark among them. With thoughts of romance and love to distract them, however, they weren't too disappointed. Soon after AJ had left, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were quick to ask more questions. What was the taste like? What was the smell? Had Sweetie and her fillyfriend chosen a song for themselves? They continued to ask their friend the occasional question between critiquing each other's attempts at writing and, eventually, just chatting in general. It pained Sweetie a little to do it, in light of how supportive and how trustworthy she felt her friends were, but the little unicorn continued to deflect any questions that could put her love's identity at risk. “When will you meet again?” “How long have you been seeing each other?” and, “Can ya say what color her eyes are?” all fell among that type of question. She apologized each time she couldn't answer and was glad her friends were understanding.

Eventually, the conversation turned to starry-eyed thoughts of how Sweetie and, in turn, each filly imagined their future weddings might be. As evening came, the rain stopped and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom left for dinner. Sweetie made her way back to town as well, but, less concerned with food, she took her time.

Beside having shared the burden of the secret she'd kept, it felt wonderful to be able to talk the way little fillies talk and dream together about the future. As much as she'd missed Fluttershy, the magic of the Crusaders' friendship had given Sweetie welcome hope that things could work out. As she trotted through the soaked apple orchard to the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, however, the difficulty with which her two closest friends had accepted the relationship nagged at the foal. If worse came to worse with Rarity or her parents, Sweetie thought, she needed a plan.

Author's Note

Last revision published: 28 January 2015
- for punctuation and flow

Original Note:
I'm pleased with how this chapter came out over all, but it feels like the account of what happened gets kinda slow at parts so I might change it a bit in the final version of the fic.

As always, feedback is welcome for future chapters and a likely final edit of the fic at the end.

I ended up writing enough to split into 2 chapters. I'm still editing the next one and have things going on, so I guess look for it in the next day or two.

Edit - 12/31/14 : Revised for punctuation, flow, and detail.