What Comes Next

Dash held open the door as Fluttershy cautiously stepped across the threshold. The fur of her face was wet and matted from tears. "Fluttershy, I told you I'm not coming out."

"That's okay Dash." Fluttershy said in her usual quiet tone. "Why are you so upset?"

"I don't expect anypony to understand." Rainbow Dash wiped her eyes and sniffled. She tried to hold back any more tears while her friend was looking. "It's complicated."

Fluttershy looked around the entryway, the walls, stairs, even the doors and arches were made of clouds. She had been inside Dash's house several times before, and even though she knew it was perfectly safe for a pegasus to stand on a cloud, she still worried. The thought of falling through the cloud floor and plummeting to the ground below never left the back of her mind.

After a short, awkward silence, Fluttershy pointed toward the living room and said, "Why don't we sit down and we can talk."

Dash nodded. She and Fluttershy quietly made their way to the small semi-circle of pillows placed around the fireplace.

Fluttershy smiled as she sat down. The fireplace was completely nonfunctional, it was almost impossible to maintain a fireplace in the clouds. She speculated that Dash had built it for the sole purpose of having a mantle she could put her various trophies on.

Dash sat down across from her. She remained quiet save for a few sniffles. She refused to make eye contact with Fluttershy, instead just staring at the floor.

Fluttershy began, "Dash, why don't you tell me what's wrong? I'm here for you." Still unsure of what she was doing, she decided the best way to proceed was to just begin.

"I dunno Flutters. I've never felt like this before. I thought that Bonbon was my friend, but I guess I was wrong." Rainbow Dash wiped more tears from her eyes. Try as she might, she couldn't keep her friend from seeing her cry.

"Did she do something to you? The only time I saw you two talking was at my cottage earlier." Fluttershy turned her gaze to the floor. "Sorry about how I acted. I was being really nasty."

"It's alright, I think I can understand how you were feeling. You're not the only one Bonbon hurt." Dash looked up at Fluttershy. She was staring at the floor with a frown. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise that you won't tell anypony."

Fluttershy looked up, meeting Dash's eyes she nodded. "I promise." She gave a weak smile.

"She was coming on to me all day. I told her that I wasn't into mares but she didn't stop." Dash began to raise her voice. "She knew that I had never had a special somepony and she used it against me! She told me that I can't really know what I'm into if I don't have any experience. Maybe I don't know what I'm into Fluttershy, but I definitely know what I'm not into! I'm not into sex, or romance, or Bonbon!"

Fluttershy shrank back as Dash began to yell. Dash saw this and attempted to calm down and lower her voice.

"She asked me to dinner at her place and I went. She is really pretty, I started to actually think that I might be into her. When I saw her stretching her legs I started to get… well… I really liked it. We kissed. I let her touch me. She kissed me in… places." Dash shivered. "I really liked it, but I was scared and uncomfortable. I told her no." Her eyes began to tear up again.

Fluttershy scooted a little closer to Dash. "It's okay, it's all over now. But… when did all this happen? Bonbon was with Lyra at the library just a couple minutes ago."

"Not long ago, maybe an hour or two. Applejack and Lyra showed up. Lyra and Bonbon talked upstairs while I talked to Applejack. We had a fight cause she found out about me and Bonbon. Then Bonbon told me that she was getting back together with Lyra." Dash's voice cracked and tears began rolling down her face again. She reached out her hooves to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy scooted next to Dash. She wrapped her hooves around her in a hug. "It's okay Dash. It'll take some time to get over it, but it'll be alright."

"I get so jealous sometimes. I see friends with mare and coltfriends. I just don't feel that way about anypony. I have never felt that way about anypony until Bonbon showed up." Dash sobbed into Fluttershy's shoulder. Unable to hold back any more. "I thought that this was my chance to have what other ponies have, but I was wrong. It hurts so much."

"Dash, you don't need to have a special somepony if you don't want to. You have always been happy being who you are."

"I get teased for still being a virgin and for never having a relationship. When I tell them that it's because I don't care about romance or sex they tease me more 'cause they think I'm making excuses for not being able to attract somepony." Dash squeezed her hooves tight around Fluttershy as she began bawling much harder. "The whole world puts so much importance on romance. I feel like I'm missing out on something. When I was there with Bonbon it felt so good. But it felt wrong, like I was doing something I shouldn't. Like I was betraying myself."

Fluttershy patted Dash's back. "It's okay Rainbow Dash. You know that I don't judge you right?"

Dash nodded her head, "Uh-huh."

"And have any of our friends ever teased you about being a virgin?"

"No," Dash said as she slowly shook her head.

Fluttershy sat up straight, "Dash, you know you can trust us, so why don't we go talk to the rest of our friends? We really need your help right now, and I promise that nopony will think any less of you because of what happened with Bonbon."

"You're wrong Fluttershy," Dash said with a sniffle, "Applejack is furious with me. I got onto her about how she and Lyra are staying together and then she caught me with Bonbon. She knows I'm a hypocrite."

Fluttershy stood up and reached out her hoof to help Dash up. "You don't think Applejack will be mad at you forever do you? I'm sure that, if you just apologize, sooner or later everything will be fine."

Dash took Fluttershy's hoof and stood up. She dried her eyes again and said, "That's easy for you to say. She's in love with you."

Fluttershy blushed.

"But I guess you're right. My friends need me now, and I can't fix things by disappointing them again."

"That's not good." Lyra said as she and Bonbon approached the Crusader's clubhouse. The staircase that lead to the door of the small wooden treehouse was pulled up and the curtains were pulled tight. Small, frightened voices could be heard inside.

"How are we supposed to get up there?" Bonbon asked, screwing her neck to look upwards at the raised stairs.

Lyra giggled and pointed at her forehead. "With this."

"Oh, duh," Bonbon said with a giggle of her own. "That thing comes in so handy sometimes. I'll have to find a way to thank it later."

Lyra rolled her eyes and looked up at the stairs hanging above them. Her horn began to glow a soft amber and, slowly, the rope holding the stairs out of reach began untying itself. She gently lowered the staircase until it hit the ground with a soft thump noise. Then, with a wink to Bonbon, she trotted up to the treehouse door.

Bonbon followed Lyra and waited as she knocked on the door. Immediately the voices coming from inside grew silent. She pressed her ear against the door and could hear muffled whispers. After a moment the whispers stopped and she could hear hoofsteps approaching the door.

"Hello? Who's out there?" Scootaloo shouted through the closed door.

"It's Lyra and Bonbon. Twilight Sparkle sent us," Lyra said as she motioned for Bonbon to back up a bit. "They're really worried about you. There's a hydra close to Ponyville and we need to get you girls to safety."

For a moment there was quiet. Lyra and Bonbon could hear faint whispers from inside, but could not make out any words. Then the rusty hinges of the door began to creak open.

Scootaloo held the door open and waved them inside. "Applebloom said that you can come in, but she won't go anywhere until you tell her why Granny Smith is so mad."

The two trotted inside. Seeing Applebloom in the corner, surrounded by a small army of stuffed animals, Lyra sat down next to her. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea Applebloom. Your granny was pretty clear that she doesn't want you involved in it." Lyra's face took on a serious note.

Applebloom scowled at her, "Well, it involves me anyway. Mah whole family is bein' turned upside down fer some reason an' nopony will tell me anything."

Lyra turned to Bonbon and said, "Sweetie, will you take Scootaloo and wait outside for a moment?"

Bonbon nodded and she and Scootaloo quietly excused themselves.

"Applebloom, you aren't in trouble. Nopony's mad at you." Lyra tried to make her voice as soft as possible, hoping to help Applebloom calm down a bit.

"Ah know that! Granny's mad at you an' Applejack, ah figured that part out. What ah can't figure out is why ah'm bein punished for somethin' y'all did." Applebloom picked up a nearby teddy bear and threw it at Lyra, narrowly missing her face.

Lyra struggled to keep her composure. "You aren't being punished. Your granny just doesn't want to get you in the middle of all this."

"That's stupid. This is just like bein' grounded. Only when ah'm grounded it's fer somethin' ah've done. Right now ah'm grounded from mah home an' mah family fer somethin' you an' mah sister did."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Applebloom, you are a very smart filly. I know that you and your friends have always been able to figure out any problem you are faced with. Do you really need me to explain everything to you? I'm sure you've figured out at least some of it by now."

Applebloom's anger began to subside. She sighed and crossed her forelegs over her chest. "Ah know that you an' Applejack both like mares. We've all known that fer a long time. Ah guess Granny didn't though. Big Mac an' Rarity were really mad about it an' ah reckon that's probably why Granny is mad too."

Lyra sat quietly and simply nodded her head.

"Ah just want everypony ta stop treatin' me like ah'm a nuisance. Ah'm not some silly foal that can't handle the truth. But everypony treats me like ah'm just gettin' in tha way. Like ah don't matter."

Lyra inched closer and patted Applebloom on the back. "I know how you feel, but that's just part of growing up. Your granny isn't trying to hurt or punish you. She wants what's best for you and doesn't want you to see us arguing. Would it really make you feel better if you were right in the middle of a big fight?"

"Ah guess not." Applebloom said, her eyes drying. "But what's going to happen to us?"

Lyra smiled, "Tell you what. I know a secret about all this, and if you promise not to tell anypony I'll let you in on it."

Applebloom looked up at Lyra, smiling. "Ah promise."

Lyra spoke in a hushed tone, "You are right about Granny Smith being mad because AJ likes mares, but that's not the reason why she is mad. She thinks that I'm AJ's marefriend and that she was trying to sneak me into the house so we could kiss and make googoo eyes at each other."

"Eww."

"I know right?" Lyra said with a giggle. "Well we all know that's not true. You, me, AJ, Big Mac and Bonbon all know that Applejack likes Fluttershy and that my marefriend is Bonbon. As soon as Granny Smith gets back we can talk to her and let her know what's really going on. I'm sure she'll calm down and everything will go back to normal after that."

Applebloom smiled. Relief clear in her voice she asked, "Are you really sure Granny will understand?"

"Positive." Lyra nodded to the door, "Now, we really need to get you fillies to the farmhouse."

Rarity was startled by a sudden pounding at the library door. As she galloped to the door she shouted "I'm coming!"

She opened the lock but before she could turn the knob the door burst open. Applejack charged in and skidded to a stop next to the checkout desk. Pinkie Pie bounced in with a smile.

"What happened?" Rarity asked, alarmed.

Pinkie Pie opened her mouth to speak but was cut off before she could manage a word.

"Tha crowd turned on us!" Applejack shouted. "We were tryin' ta tell 'em ta get ta safety an' they started shoutin' 'bout me an' Fluttershy." Her face bore a terrified expression and she was breathing heavily from running.

Pinkie raised an eyebrow, "There's more to it than that."

Rarity scoffed, "Is that really surprising?"

Pinkie began, "Now Rarity…"

"An' just what is that supposed ta mean?" Applejack yelled, glaring at Rarity. Her terrified expression was replaced by one of anger. "Ya been on mah case since the whole thing with Fluttershy went down an' ah wanna know why! It weren't you that either of us were kissin' so why do ya care? Far as ah'm concerned ya got no dog in this race so just back off!"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE BUCK UP!"

Startled, Rarity and Applejack quickly spun to face Pinkie Pie, who was standing on her hind legs waving frantically.

"You have both been acting like foals to each other since yesterday and there is absolutely no call for it!" Pinkie pointed an accusatory hoof at the two. "Applejack, you had sex with Fluttershy and she isn't too happy about it. Rarity, you think that's wrong and have been acting like a grade A bitch to Applejack. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU GIRLS WANT FROM EACH OTHER?!"

"AN APOLOGY!" Rarity and Applejack said in unison, scowling at each other.

Pinkie Pie's brow lowered. She gave a stern look and snarled, "Then this is where you give it. In case you haven't noticed, there is a giant hydra about to destroy the town and you two can't set aside your argument for long enough to save Ponyville."

"I shouldn't have to apologize for standing up for Fluttershy. She is one of my best friends." Rarity said with a disgusted glance at Applejack.

"How many ponies do you think are going to die today? How many homes are about to be destroyed? A hundred? Maybe only a dozen?" Pinkie came closer to Rarity. Staring her directly in the eyes she continued, "What about one? When that hydra comes into town maybe he'll be satisfied and walk away after he kills just one pony. How do you think he's going to do it? Stomp on them? Eat them? Maybe that one pony will suffocate peacefully on the poison cloud around him."

"I-I don't…" Rarity stammered.

Pinkie turned around to face Applejack, poking her chest with a hoof, "AJ, how do you think the one pony is going to die today? Maybe he'll have a heart attack when a gigantic freaking lizard starts chasing him."

Applejack's eyes grew wide. Her jaw hung slack. "Pinkie…"

Pinkie spun back to face Rarity. "You said that you are just 'standing up for Fluttershy', well guess what! Fluttershy is out there looking for Rainbow Dash right now. She is outside where there is a chance of being torn apart by a giant monster because she knows it is the right thing to do." She waved a hoof at the library door that was shut and locked from the inside. "Do you really think that she is absolutely incapable of defending herself?"

"Pinkie I…" Rarity said, shrinking backwards.

"WELL!?"

"There is a difference Pinkie. This is something that she has to do. She would never start a confrontation with a friend." Rarity stumbled and fell onto her haunches.

Pinkie turned back to Applejack, "Is that true? Has Fluttershy not said anything at all to you about it?"

Applejack began to sweat. "Actually, Fluttershy came to tha farm last night and we talked."

"Good. Why don't you tell Rarity what you two said?" Pinkie Pie held out her hoof, waving AJ toward Rarity. She backed away slightly and sat down herself.

Applejack inched closer to Rarity and sat down in front of her. She could not bring herself to make eye contact. "Well… Thing is… Ah invited her over ta talk. Ah felt just terrible for tha way things happened an' ah wanted ta make it right."

Rarity sat, listening quietly to Applejack.

"Ah apologized an' said that the way things happened was a mistake. Ah wanted to do things right an' offered ta take her ta dinner sometime. Ya know, ta start over on the right hoof." Applejack's head sunk. "She said no. She was real determined and just laid inta me something fierce. She thought that ah had played on her trust. Said that, as her friend, it's mah job to know better." She sniffled, trying to keep from shedding any more tears. "She's right. Ah feel like such a fool."

"I didn't know. I'm sorry Applejack." Rarity said, patting AJ on the shoulder. "I have been very vocal about my stance on your lifestyle, but in truth, you are always going to be my friend. I know that you really care for Fluttershy but I have been so focused on being her knight in shining armor that I forgot that you are my friend too. I should've listened to Cheerilee."

"Cheerilee?" Applejack asked, confused.

"It's a long story." Rarity said with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry about the way I've treated you. Forgive me?"

Applejack smiled, "Only if you'll do the same."

In the corner, Pinkie smiled.

Twilight appeared in a bright purple flash at the top of a large oak tree. She scrabbled to get her footing as the branches shook with the footsteps of the giant hydra. From her new vantage point she could clearly see two large heads nearly reaching the tops of the nearby trees.

She drew a shaky breath and shouted, "Hey! Over here!"

Her heart sank and her face went pale as the hydra quickly turned around and focused it's attention squarely on her. The giant beast snarled and charged toward the tree she was perched on.

With another brilliant flash she teleported herself away to a nearby treetop. She turned around just in time to watch the branch she had just been standing on disappear with one massive chomp. Her knees buckled as she realized just how close she had come to being dinner.

"Okay, new plan."