Anarchy in the Equestrian Nation

<Note: This chapter does not have Apple Bloom or any other apple-related character. It's named after a White Stripes song. Also, I employ another timeskip in this chapter.>

I sat in the cafe with Manga and Turntable discussing the whole ordeal with Black Bell, which I had gotten over in the two days that had passed (I bounce back from tragedy remarkably fast.). Turntable and Manga were really the only ones talking, I was just sipping at my coffee (Turntable had convinced me to try vanilla creamer. Definitely a good change.) and listening. That is, until something caught my eye. Sitting alone on the cafe's patio was a mare, sipping at a mug of something. She couldn't be much older than me. She had a light blue mane and a brown coat, and when she finished her drink and turned to go inside, I saw she had the most beautiful magenta eyes.

No, man, get yourself together! You just got out of a relationship! You can't risk it again! I mentally shouted at myself.

Oh, how I wanted to. She was beautiful, and something told me that she was available, but I had no reason to ask.

Well, I thought I had no reason. That changed when I saw that her coat was darker around her eyes, a sure sign that she had been crying very recently. I excused myself from the table, taking my coffee and a slice of nutbread, and followed her outside.

"Hey. What seems to be the problem?" I asked.

She turned towards me and growled angrily "Why would you care? You're just another stallion who wants to toy with my feelings and then reject me when I foolishly fall in love with you."

"I'm not like that." I said calmly. "I've had similar problems with fillies where I used to live, and I'm fairly sure I have yet to find a female anything that tolerates my presence."

"You're lying!" she shouted. "You're just like every other colt out there!"

"No I'm not. You can ask my friends. Now, what's the problem? I want to know so I can help. I could never live with myself if I did something like that to you."

She recognized the honesty in my eyes, and softened up. Tears welled up in her eyes as she explained to me. "I'm sixteen, and I've never had a coltfriend or a first kiss, and worse yet, I'm still a blank flank! I have to keep my flanks covered so nopony sees!" She ran up to me and pressed up tight, crying into my shoulder.

I held her for as long as she cried. It felt like hours, but for all I knew, it could have simply been a few minutes. "I know how you feel. For a while, I was completely alone. No friends, half a family, and even after I fell in love with Black Bell, I found out a few days ago that she had been cheating on me. I know how you feel. If you need a shoulder to cry on, remember the name Union Jack." I said. Then the most unexpected thing happened. I felt a passionate kiss reach my lips, and before I knew it, the mare was gone.

I didn't even manage to get her name.