What Comes Next

"So, if I've got this straight what happened was…" Carrot Cake began, "you met Lyra on the way here…"

"Eeyup"

"...and the two of you started talking about an order for Bonbon's candies…"

"Mmmhmm"

"...and as soon as you got here there was some sort of commotion over at the market involving Bonbon and Applejack."

"Yeah"

"And that's why you dumped the apples in a pile in front of the door and sped off?"

Big Macintosh cringed, his face becoming slightly redder than usual. He nodded, "Ah'm sorry Carrot, an ah can't go into much detail, but believe me, it was important." He slowly slid two cards to the center of the table.

The back room of Sugarcube Corner rarely saw ponies come and go. Tonight there was a small table set up in the center of the room. A small punch bowl perched awkwardly on a shelf that otherwise held a few bags of flour. Baking pans of all shapes and sizes hung from hooks and sat on shelves. Various fruits and vegetables and syrups and colorings engulfed the entire wall opposite the door.

Pinkie cocked her head as she placed a card down on the table. "I wonder if it had anything to do with what Spike told her this morning." Pinkie pushed the large pair of shades up onto her forehead and scrunched her nose at the cards in her hand.

"I haven't the slightest clue what you three are talking about," Cheerilee remarked, "care to fill me in?"

"From what I can gather, Applejack and Bonbon got into a fight in the market today. It had something to do with Fluttershy." Carrot offered.

"Oh, does this have anything to do with that rumor that Applejack and Fluttershy are a couple now?"

"Gosh darnit Cheerilee does the whole town know?" Big Mac huffed as he slammed a hoof on the table.

"Jeez Big Mac, calm down. It's just something I heard from a student, you know how rumors spread around here."

"But it just happened this afternoon and school wasn't even out yet."

"I don't know what to tell you, foals gossip." Cheerilee shot Pinkie an impatient glance, prompting a confused look. "You're the dealer Pinkie."

Pinkie placed a hoof to her forehead. "Sorry, all this talk of rumors and gossip got me distracted." She pulled her shades down again and began dealing.

"First of all," Big Mac began, still an exasperated huff in his voice, "no, they aren't a couple. An secondly ponies round here need ta learn ta keep there noses out of everyone else's affairs." He picked up his cup of punch, taking a long draw off the frosty pink beverage.

"Let's talk about something else alright?" Carrot Cake offered with a nervous chuckle. "Didn't you say that Lyra is staying with you guys for a while Big Mac?"

Cheerilee pushed a large stack of bits into the center of the table. "Oh, I heard she and Bonbon broke up, is my sugar bear trying to score a green unicorn on the rebound?" she said with a giggle.

Big Macintosh choked on his drink, his cup tumbled to the floor as he fought off a long coughing fit. After a moment he regained his composure. "Now that's not nice Cheerilee, you know ah'm nothin but proper 'round mares. Ain't nothin like that goin on an you know it."

Carrot Cake chuckled quietly as he added his bits to the steadily growing pot.

"Don't be silly Cheerilee." Pinkie offered. "Lyra is green and Big Mac is red, contrasting colors make for ugly babies."

"Ahem." Carrot scowled. "Thanks Pinkie, I'll be sure to let my blue wife know that my happy orange butt has doomed our children."

"'Sides, Lyra doesn't even go for stallions." Big Macintosh said as he pushed an even larger stack of bits into the pile prompting a few whistles and swear words from the other ponies at the table.

"Gosh Big Mac, that's an awful big bet ya got there," Pinkie giggled as she pushed her own, equally large stack, "you aren't perhaps compensating for something are you? I call!"

Big Macintosh rolled his eyes.

Cheerilee let out a snicker, "That was bad Pinkie. Call."

Carrot Cake tossed his cards onto the table, "I'm out, if I lose any more the wife is gonna start taking notice."

A silence fell over the room, three ponies eyed each other with a seriousness yet to be seen this night. The sound of Carrot sipping his cup of punch practically thunderous in the still.

Pinkie Pie would be the one to break the silence. "Time to separate the ponies from the foals. Read 'em and weep!" She slapped down a hoofful of red cards. "I got a flush, beat that!"

"Hehe, not so fast Pinkie," Cheerilee chimed, laying out her cards with a dramatic flourish, "Full House!" With a smile she turned to Big Mac, "And what do you have schnookums?"

Big Macintosh threw down his cards. "Goshdarnit. Three sevens."

Pinkie grinned, "Ya see? Compensating."

Fluttershy hesitated as she reached the farmhouse of Sweet Apple Acres. Her raised hoof trembled as she told it to knock on the wooden door. She drew a deep breath to steady herself.

A gentle tap was all she could manage. It was quickly answered by a small green mare, but not one she was expecting. "Lyra?"

"Oh hey Fluttershy, come on in! We were just talking about you. We're in the kitchen cleaning up dinner, I've got some tea on." Lyra said with a proud smile. She swung the door wide and offered a hoof to take Fluttershy's scarf.

As Fluttershy entered she could smell a host of wonderful smells, fresh baked breads and pies, mashed potatoes, and of course apples. No matter the time of year, it always smelled like harvest in the Apple family's home. She trotted into the kitchen, Lyra following close behind.

"Heya Fluttershy, been expectin ya." Applejack said from in front of the sink where she washed the last of the dishes. She pointed to an empty chair at the table. "Have a seat."

Lyra quickly grabbed two mugs from the cabinet and placed them on the table, one in front of Fluttershy and one at the corner. Running between the table and the counter, she grabbed the steaming teapot and quietly filled the mugs with an especially fragrant black tea. Pointing a hoof at the sugar bowl she smiled at Fluttershy who simply shook her head.

Lyra levitated a trivet over from the center of the table and placed the teapot on top before excusing herself. As she left she gave Applejack a wink and whispered "Good luck."

Applejack placed the last of the dishes on a towel beside the sink to dry. Wiping her hooves on the corner of the same towel, she opened, "Ya have much trouble gettin' here t'night hon?"

"No, the roads were pretty clear. It's getting pretty cold though." Fluttershy responded. She blew into her mug, sending long wisps of steam into the air. "Where is Granny Smith?"

"She's sleepin', big supper ya know." Applejack sat down at the table. She took a deep breath, searching for the words she had practiced saying so many times today.

"Um, why is Lyra here?"

"Long story sugarcube." Finding her words she began. "We actually had a nice talk earlier an, well, about last night."

Fluttershy stared at the table, her pink mane falling over her eyes. She was hiding, feeling safer behind her locks. No matter how many times she had rehearsed this conversation she found herself unready.

Applejack continued, "Last night was a mistake. We were both, uh, compromised, an we took things a lil too far. But I really do like you, an if'n you'd be willing, I'd like to start again proper." She looked down at the steaming cup of tea, still untouched, in front of her. Swallowing the lump building in her throat she searched for the next words. "Ah'd like ta take ya to dinner sometime, what do ya say?"

Fluttershy was quiet. Still hidden behind her mane, her eyes were squeezed closed. Her thoughts were clear now, she drew a ragged breath and spoke. "No Applejack, we can't."

Applejack's heart sank, the knot in her stomach returning at once. She told her mouth to speak, but no words would come. Her hooves just wanted to flee. This was not how it went in books.

With a wave of her hoof, Fluttershy pushed her mane from her face, revealing a harsh scowl. "Don't you get it? I was vulnerable and you took advantage of that. You are supposed to be my friend, friends protect each other."

"Fluttershy, hon, ah didn't think… ah never meant ta…"

Fluttershy never yelled, her voice now was quiet as it had ever been, but it had a new harshness, a coldness Applejack had rarely heard before. "You are one of my best friends, you should know that I don't even like mares. Did you ever stop to think what I would say in the morning? To think that maybe you were playing on my trust?"

With a quiver in her voice Applejack spoke. "But Fluttershy, last night, you said… you said that…" Her thoughts were flying through her head like a swarm of hornets. Only one thought came through clear enough to speak. "I'm sorry Fluttershy. I'm so sorry. I love you."

Fluttershy stood up, a thin trail of tears now rolling down her cheek. "I don't believe you."

Applejack watched as Fluttershy galloped out of the kitchen and through the front door. Quickly gathering what courage she could muster she stood, pushing herself away from the table, ready to chase after the fleeing mare. A searing pain spread over her side. She screamed.

The tea mug rolled off the table, shattering on the floor. The scalding contents now covering the table, floor, and Applejack.

Lyra ran into the kitchen, eyes wide. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Applejack motioned to an unused dishtowel laying beside the sink. Lyra grabbed it and handed it to her.

"Where's Fluttershy?"