Follow My Lead

by Bysen

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twist, Dinky Hooves, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Snips, Sad, Romance, Snails, Cutie Mark Crusaders
Length: 2940

Snips tries to show Snails how easy it is to ask a filly to be his special sompony. Turns out, not that easy.

It's Hearts and Hooves day and Snips has been trying to convince Snails to ask Twist to be his special somepony for over a week now. They come up with a deal that if Snips asks a filly to be his special somepony then Snails will ask Twist.

As someone who asked out one girl for Valentines and got rejected and has a birthday next week that likely none of my friend will attend, [that sounds a lot sadder than it actually is] this is not based on personal experience. Just and idea I came up with an wrote over the course of two hours.

Published 2014-02-14 15:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-14 22:22:53 UTC

Chapter 1

“C’mon man!” Snips told Snails. “You know she’ll say yes, so just ask her!” he’d been telling his friend this for over a week now leading up to Hearts and Hooves day but he still hadn't managed to convince him. “Just ask Twist to be your special somepony for the day.” the taller boy had had a crush on her for who knows logn now.

“I can’t. She’ll just turn me down.” he finally replied with something other than just brushing it off. He’d finally admitted the real reason he didn’t want to ask her: he was scared of being rejected.

“Is that all you’re afraid of man?” Snips asked, even though he’d known that was why since he’d started bugging his friend about it. “So what if she does? which she won’t! It’s all about confidence.”

“That’s all well and good for you to say.” Snails said in response. “You’re not asking anypony.”

“Aren’t I?” he replied.

“Are you?”

“Uh… well no. But I will!” Snips said with over excitement. He’d been thinking too hard about getting his friend to ask one of the fillies to think about asking one himself. But it was the perfect way to prove his point. Find a girl who he could ask that he knew wouldn’t turn him down to show his friend how easy it was. “How about this, I ask a filly to be my special somepony for the day and you ask Twist. Deal?”

“Uh… I guess that sound fair.” Snails answered. “Who are you going to ask though?”

And that was the hard part. Sure, he knew most of the fillies in his class but Snips didn’t exactly like any of them that way. Whatever, he’d just ask whoever they found first. “I don’t know. Let’s just go find Twist and see who we find on that way, k?”

“Yeah, ok.” Snails said before Snips enthusiastically turned in place and began to march past Snails. Snail turned his neck to his friend and called out “Twist lives this way.” and his pudgy friend turned and came walking back past him. Snails began to walk alongside his friend but the longer they walked them more nervous he got about it. The two went on for a good five minutes before Snails asked “You’re going to ask somepony out BEFORE I ask Twist… right?”

“Of course.” he answered. “We just haven’t seen any yet.”

“Well what about her?” Snails said, pointed a hoof.

“Who, Sweetie Belle?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

“Yeah. Why not.” Snips said, brushing his hair back with a hoof. “Stay here, and watch a master at work.” he then trotted over towards Sweetie Belle who was walking towards the milkshake place. “Hey Sweetie Belle!” he called out and got her attention.

“Oh hey Snips. How are you today?” she said, chipper as always.

“I’m great.” he said before he paused for a moment. It was just bordering on becoming an awkward silence when he began to speak again. “So I was wondering… If maybe, you’d like to be my special somepony for today. I mean. Hearts and Hooves day and all.” despite how confident he’d been about it to Snails it was still hard to say in the moment. But he’d still said it without a problem. And Sweetie Belle was , well, sweet. She was way too nice of a pony just turn him down.

“No… thanks.” or not.

“Whah?...” Snips replied in shock. He’d thought for sure…

“I’m sorry… but I’ve already been asked. I’m going to meet him now.” she said, while looking away, explaining herself to him and trying to make sure she hadn’t hurt his feelings in anyway. She then muttered under her breath “And he better not challenge me to another milkshake race…” she then turned back to Snips who looked like he had gotten over his initial surprise. “So uh… sorry about that.”

“Oh sure, no probs.” he said. That made sense to him. She’d already been asked and couldn’t have two.

“Alright…” she said, then waited for a while. This time it was definitely long enough to become an awkward silence between them. “Well… goodbye then.” she said as she turned and headed on to the milkshake place. A few second after she left, Snips turned and walked away as well.

He returned to his friend and said “See? Easily.”

“But she said no.”

“So?” he replied. “Doesn’t matter if they say no. Does it looked like I care?” and he legitimately didn’t. “It’s all about confidence man. So are you going to ask Twist now or what?”

“But you said you’d get somepony as well. And she said no. And what if Twist says no?” in Snail’s defense, it was a completely different situation for Twist than it was for Sweetie Belle. Snips didn’t care at all if he’d gotten a yes or a no. Snails did.

“Well, she didn’t technically say no. She’d just already been asked,” Snips justified. “Alright then, let’s go find another filly and I’ll asked her.”

“What about them.” Snails said as he pointed towards another two fillies.

“Uh… let’s avoid Silverspoon and Diamond Tiara. I was thinking more along the lines of… Scootaloo, or Dinky, or Applebloom! I’m sure any of them will be my special somepony.” he proclaimed as he began to march onwards once more.

“Where are you going now?” Snails asked his friend.

“Sweet Apple Acres.” he called back before stopping in place for a moment before turning and walking back past Snails. “I know, I know, it’s back this way…” he said with his head hung low and a scowl.

Again the two walked side by side for a couple of minutes before they found their target. Not Sweet Apple acres, but instead another filly Snips had mentioned. “Hey man. There’s Dinky.” Snails whispered to Snips.

“Alright!” Snips said, raising his head back to it’s former held high position. Because for some reason he’d been walking that whole time with it slumped. He brushed his mane back with a hoof again and repeated “Now watch the master in ac-shi-own!” and walked up toward Dinky.

This time however, Dinky called out to him “Hey Snips!” she yelled, waving a hoof continuously all the way up until he was standing right in front of her. The happy go lucky filly then asked “How are you today?”

“Oh, you know… I don’t know.” he replied and got a laughed from her. It wasn’t meant to have been a joke but whatever… “So Dinky. I was wondering if you’d… like to be my special somepony for today. Maybe.”

She quickly stopped laughing. Then laughed again. Then quickly stopped, seeing he was being serious. “I uh… I’m sorry, but my mum says I’m not allowed to have a special somepony until I’m older.” she said, looking away from him. It almost seemed to Snips like she was lying but… why would she do that?

“Oh, uh… yeah. That’s no problem. I understand.” he said, trying to be cool. For some reason it was harder to do than it had been with Sweetie Belle. And once again there was an awkward silence between them.

“So… uh…” was all Dinky could think to say. It seemed odd to ask him to hang out now. And fact was, she was a little afraid she may have hurt his feelings.

“Well. Me and Snails gotta get going. I’ll catch you around alright?” he said as he turned slowly.

“Yeah, I’ll see ya.” she waved half heartedly.

He returned to Snails, out of earshot from Dinky. “Yeah yeah, I know.”

“That’s two for two man… I don’t think…” Snails started but was cut off.

“But she isn’t allowed too so she didn’t really say on either.” he was getting annoyed at this point. “C’mon! Let’s go find somepony who doesn’t have a special somepony already and is allowed to have one.” and with that an orange blur flew past them on a small scooter. And without a second’s delay “C’mon!” Snips yelled and ran after Scootaloo.

About a minute later he was completely out of breathe, though Snails wasn’t, and realized he had absolutely no chance of catching up to Scootaloo. That’s when Snails had a brilliant idea “Hey Scootaloo!” he yelled out. She stopped… why hadn’t Snips thought of that?

She turned to look at them before turning her scooter around and heading towards them. Scootaloo was brash enough to be allowed to have a special somepony and he doubted she already had one. Was that offensive? It seemed offensive him. “Sup guy.?” she said as she skidded to a halt right in front of them, blowing a small amount of dust towards them both.

Still breathing heavily and starting to sweat, the fat little colt simply said “Well you be…” he panted “...be my special somepony?”

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at him before answering “Uh... no. Not interested.” and took off. And that was his first flat out no. It would’ve felt worse if he hadn’t half expected it in the state he was in right now. It still completely sucked though.

Snips groaned and Snails said “See. She said no. That’s it man. I’m not asking Twist anything.” he said with apprehension.

“C’mon man!” Snips replied. “I’ve gone through all this trouble just for you…”

“Yeah, and showed me she’d just say no…” Snails sad with less apprehension this time, leaning more towards sadness now.

He’d been rejected by thre… no, only one had rejected him. How much more did he have to do. A lot apparently. “Stop being a foal about it and just ask her already.” Snips snapped.

“That’s it. I’m going home” Snails said with a frown.

“Wha-what? After all this you’re just going to give up? W-well fine! I’ll get a special somepony and then you’ll listen to me! I’ll get one I tell you!” and he stormed off in the opposite direction to his friend. And once he was far enough away from Snails, he muttered “Man… I’m just trying to help you’s all…”

And he kept on walking back towards Sweet Apple Acres. He would get Applebloom to be his special somepony. And now that Snails wasn’t here, he’d just tell her about his deal with him and she’d surely agree to it. Surely…

He walked on at a Snail’s pace, pun intended, and eventually got to the farm. When he got there, Applebloom was sitting by the fence, and looking right at him. It wasn’t exactly hard to see somepony coming from a long way off after all down this straight path to the farm. “Heya Applebloom. Sup?”

“Oh, not much. Big Mac’s off with Cheerilee and AJ’s off with RD, but I ain't ‘sposed to know 'bout neither o’ those.” she said with a faint chuckle.

“Heh… that’s great. So anyway, I was wondering… if you’d perhaps be my special somepony for today.” he asked and got a sudden death-stare from the filly.

She just looked at him for a few seconds before saying “...Seriously?”

“Yeah. Seriously. Wh…” he was cut short as Applebloom burst into a tirade.

“I can’t believe you! After asking out Dinky and Scootaloo and who knows who else, you got the nerve ta ask me too like I’m some last resort!” she yelled at him. He just stood there wide eyed for a moment before he tried to speak up.

“Whah? No, I…” and he was cut off once more.

“Yeah that’s right, I know you’ve been running around asking out every filly you seen taday. Dinky where here just a moment ago, saying she were so worried she’d hurt ya feelin’s when you’d asked her and she’d said no. So she followed ya and then sees you asking on Scootaloo and yelling at Snails saying that ya can get yurself a special somepony like it’s some kinda prize. Well, you ain’t winning no prizes taday, that’s fer sure!” she hopped off the fence and began towards her home.

Snips stood there for… who knows. He’d started this to try and help his friend. Now he’d had two… no four… four filly all turn him down in less than an hour. And all of it suddenly started to sink in. Not only was it bad enough they’d all said no, but two of them now thought him a complete scumbag, and would likely tell they other two so as well. But why would they say no anyway?

He eventually began the long walk back towards Ponyville from Sweet Apple Acres and unfortunately had way too much time to think of why they’d all said no. Applebloom made sense: she thought he was a jerk. Dinky though… she’d even cared that she may have hurt him, so why had she said no. Scootaloo had just flat out rejected him and Sweetie Belle and tried to spare his feeling too so they obviously cared.

Just not enough to be his special somepony…

This started as a mission to help his friend. But now, now he had to do this for himself, to prove he was worth it to… to anypony. Which is what led him to this horrible mistake. “Hey Silverspoon, hey DT. Would either of you… be my special somepony for Hearts and Hooves day?” he asked with as much confidences as he had with all the others, if not more now that he was trying to prove something.

They laughed. They laughed hard and just walked right past him. Really, he should’ve expected that from those two but still, it hurt. He’d jumped from four to six and he was out of options now anyway. He’d asked all the fillies he knew. Maybe he could meet somepony, ask them, but he just didn’t feel up to it now. That was it. He’d gone from being completely confident to shattered in a matter of hours.

Actually… there was one pony left who he knew. In fact he knew for fact she wouldn't’ say no. But… he couldn’t do that to Snails. He could ask out Twist. Or could he? Snails wouldn’t so why shouldn’t he? He had too… he just had too… it’s all he had left.

The walk was slow as he debated with himself on doing this, but he never stopped as he marched towards Twist’s home. And by the time he’d gotten there, he hadn’t convinced himself that he shouldn’t do this so… he knocked on the door. A few moments passed and the top half of the double door opened.

“Hey Thnips.” Twist greeted with him lisp. This was it.

“Hey Twist.” he replied. He knew he should but… “So uh… would you like to be… would you like to be my special somepony for today? You know, Hearts and Hooves day and all.”

“Oh… oh geethe” she replied and Snip’s heart plummeted. “I would’th. I really would’th but… you thee…”

“Hey man!” Snails said as she joined Twist at the door. “You where right! I asked her and she said yes! Thanks man, thank you so much!” he said with an even more goofy smile than usual. It was clear his friend was happier than he’d ever been. And Snips had been just about to try and take that away.

“Oh... that’s great…” he said trying to hold back tears. He was horrible. No wonder every filly now hated him. “Well, I uh, I’ll just leave you too alone.” and he pushed the door shut on them both, making sure they couldn’t see him as the tears started to fall. He turned and walked. Not far though, just across the street and sat down. Then lay down. Then cried, as he realized he’d gotten what he wanted to begin with… it hurt so bad but at least his friend was happy… it was worth it… right?

“Hey man…” Snails said as he put a hoof and Snips’ shoulder. “You alright.” he asked,

“Whah? W-why aren’t you… over there with Twist?” he said, looking over at the filly, standing in the doorway of her house.

“Dude, she can wait. What’s up with you?” he asked again as his friend continued to cry.

“I… I did that for you… and I, I just ended up getting rejected by every girl I know…” he managed to say as he sniffled and sobbed. “Then I… then I tried to steal Twist form you just b-because I kn-knew she’d say yes like I said. Now you have a special somepony and… and I got nothing.”

“Aww man… is that all?” Snails said as he moved his hoof and rubbed his friend's back. Snips shoved Snails’ hoof away as he made light of the situation. Snails just moved it right back though. “Well… I can be your special somepony if you want.”

“Dude… that’s, that’s so gay…” Snips simply replied.

“Man, shut up. i’m trying ot be nice here.”

“But what about Twist?”

“You’re more important than her…” and with that Snips’ crying double as he lunged up and hugged his friend. Even if it wasn’t what he’d planned for, he had a special somepony. It wasn’t a love thing, or maybe it was. It was his best friend who’d do anything for him. Maybe it was better than what he’d been going for or maybe it wasn’t. He didn’t know, he didn’t care. All he knew was that he had it. And that he did care about.

The End.

No homo.

Author's Note

Uploaded on the 15th but all you yanks are a day behind so... happy Valentine's Day!