Anarchy in the Equestrian Nation

<This chapter is going to perspective-hop like crazy to tell multiple perspectives of different parts of the story, that way in can keep a competent chronology going and it won't interrupt the flow of the story, and yet will still maintain multiple perspectives.>

[---RED TEAR---]

We sat at the lunch table after school once more. Tomorrow was Hearts and Hooves Day, the most romantic holiday of the year, and my long-standing least favorite. I always, ALWAYS had nopony to spend it with.

Until that particular February 13.

Union Jack was snuggled into Pitch-Perfect's side and Vagabond and Manga were sharing a kiss. I turned away, an odd mixture of sorrowful, jealous, lonely, and angry. I heard Turntable's voice pipe up from across the table, and I turned my head to the black-maned (his red-dyed tips having washed out recently) earth pony.

"So, Red," he asked, "Got a special somepony?"

"No," I began, tears forming in the corners of my eyes, "And don't remind me, either. I've spent the past sixteen years alone every year, left to my own devices." The tears began to flow freely. "So don't ask again."

"I know how it feels. I've been lonely as well."

"You're lying, Turntable. You're a DJ, you're bound to have mares fawning over you left and right!"

Against all mood of the situation, and the tears flowing from both our eyes, he chuckled. "Mares fawning over me, true, but I'm not into mares."

I was dumbfounded and speechless, struck temporarily mute, as was everypony else. Union Jack unwrapped his forelegs from Pitch-Perfect and threw them up in the air in a gesture of puzzlement. "You're gay?" he asked, not angry, but rather confused.

"You didn't know?" Vagabond asked, apparently aware of this fact already.

"He never told me! I'm his best friend and he never bothered to tell me!" Jack shouted indignantly.

"Calm down, Jack. He never asked, so I figured he knew already." In the midst of this clusterbuck, he turned to me. "So, will you go out with me for Hearts and Hooves Day?"

I was even more silent than before. I had mentioned that I was bi-romantic before, but I had never expected THIS. Nonetheless, I was incensed. "Are you joking!?" I cried, pissed at the very notion of dating. There was no chance he wouldn't break my heart, just like any mare I'd ever been with.

[---TURNTABLE---]

"No, I'm not." I stated simply and sincerely, crossing my forelegs. "I'm not joking. We've been friends for a while now, and I recently came to grips with the fact that I've fallen in love with you, Red." He fell silent for almost two minutes before speaking again.

"You're lying. You're just trying to lead me on. Just going to break my feelings, like anypony else." As he spat out those words, vitriol lacing them like love poison in the punch of some badly conceived Hearts and Hooves Day date, he was fighting back a raging blush, heavily apparent even through his dark coat. It won out, and he turned away, hiding his face in his wings.

"I'm not. I love you. I don't want you to be lonely anymore."

"Correction. YOU don't want to be lonely anymore." he snapped.

"That's not true. I don't like seeing you like this. It breaks my heart."

"I won't go." he remarked.

Union Jack raised his hoof and spoke up from across the table. "Well, we could all go on a group date if it makes Red feel more comfortable. Strength in numbers, right?"

"Right." I confirmed. Red visibly softened his guard upon realizing that the whole group could go together.

"Well... Depends on where it is." he said, still slightly wary, feathers plucking at his guitar. Tears matted his coat below his eyes, which were darting around in their sockets, clearly nervous.

"Streetlight Maneifesto is in town tomorrow. Sound good to all of you?" Manga suggested, his idea met with a rather loud "HELL YEAH" from Union Jack which was in turn met with a slap from Pitch-Perfect..

Red begrudgingly and slowly nodded. "It's a trial date though. Don't expect any hugs or kisses." I could have sworn there was a under-the breath "but that doesn't mean they won't happen." in his exhaled sigh. Might've been just me, I don't know.

Either way, trial date or not, I was elated.

---Sorry for the shorter than usual chapters, everypony. A little flooded right now.---