(Flutterdash) The Whole Story

The next day, most of the banners were down. The news had spread almost instantly, and even some of those with accepting banners decided that it was time to give it a rest. They cut them down, untied them, or painted back over them. It had gone too far, officially, and now there was a lingering feeling of shame over the whole town. Everypony bore the burden.

“I call this meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to order!” Apple Bloom looked down at her other friends in the treehouse, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle waiting below her. “Roll call. Apple Bloom? Here. Scootaloo?”

“Here. We already know—”

“Sweetie Belle?”

“Here.”

“Okay, well,” Apple Bloom jumped off the podium and came up level with the girls. “We all know the town’s gone crazy over Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.”

“Turns out girls dating girls is a bigger deal than we thought,” Scootaloo said, sitting down. “Did you see the sign over the Burrito Barn?”

“Celestia Hates Gay Ponies,” Sweetie Belle said from memory. “That’s so mean!”

“We know it’s okay though, I asked my brother. And they’re up everywhere,” Apple Bloom said, “Rarity has one on the boutique, right?”

Sweetie Belle nodded her head. “It said All Orientations Welcome, but she took it down today.”

“Right. Well,” Apple Bloom continued, “a whole bunch are down now. I know it’s because of what happened yesterday, and I know Fluttershy and Applejack are involved. Applejack saved Fluttershy from something. Do either of you girls have the full story?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No, I know it’s something really bad though. Like, grown-up bad. Rarity stayed at Twilight’s house, I think all of them did, and Fluttershy was with them.”

“I think I might know.”

Sitting close together on the wooden floor, the air pushed in around them tighter, and the gravity of the situation pressed harder as Scootatloo began her tale. “I got into the crowd a little after it happened. I think a unicorn stallion tried to... you know...“ She made some vague gestures with her hooves before giving up to taboo language. “That sex thing. I saw him in the carriage as they took him away. His horn was smashed to pieces and his...” she put a hoof between her hind legs and drew it out in a stick-like motion. Her voice dropped to a low, shaky whisper. “His dick was still up.”

The feeling of pervertedness shouldered its way between each of them, and they stared at the floor awkwardly.

“Holy horsefeathers, that’s awful.”

“Luna,” Sweetie Belle said, “that is adult. I’ve heard about it before, but I don’t remember what it’s called. I remember it’s really, really bad though. Like, up there with murder. Should we... make something for her, or something?”

“Can you give get-well cards for that?” Scootaloo asked.

“I don’t think so,” Apple Bloom said, “but we could go by and see her.”

“And say what?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Hope you get better from what?” Scootaloo asked, “What would we say? We’re not even supposed to know what happened, I think.”

“Hmm.”

Tired and annoyed, Celestia rubbed the side of her cheek. She could feel the imprint of the part of the carriage she had rested her head on while she slept. The journey back from Mostcow had taken less time than she thought, but in the end that really meant she had had less time to sleep.

In the castle, she found Luna just going to bed. Tired as well, Luna smiled warmly at her and gave her a hug. “How went it, sister?”

“Alright. It’s all political slog, but at least they seem less aggressive now.”

Luna nodded, using her magic to sip a cup of tea. “That is good. I am off to bed, as you can see, but I should tell you to check your desk. Twilight and her friends seem to have stirred up some trouble. She’s written you more than once, I think. She actually came to talk to me, very kindly, and we have things to discuss now. But her letters, I believe, are addressed to you.”

Celestia nodded, and sighed. “Okay, I’ll help her out.”

Luna smiled again and walked away.

Celestia got to her room, and flopped gracelessly on her bed. She levitated all the scrolls on her desk over to herself and began reading. The first one was from Twilight, informing her that a brick had been thrown through the window of Fluttershy, because some ponies in the town were angry she was lesbian. She read it through once, skimmed it again, and started taking mental notes for herself as she moved on to the next scroll.

This one was from the chief of police in Ponyville. She shifted on the bed and failed to convince herself that it could be nothing. She read:

August 3rd, 4388 WC,

From the office of chief Cold Cuffs

Concerning: convicted criminal Thick Brew

Thick Brew (file enclosed), resident of Ponyville, recently attempted to rape Fluttershy Faintheart (file unneeded). His motive was to cure her of her homosexuality, thereby settling the town’s unrest. Unrest involving issue of gay ponies has become predominant in the last few days. Also suspected of personal motive for sexual gratification. Admits guilt.

Thick Brew held Fluttershy Faintheart in his magic so that he could complete sexual intercourse with her, against her will. Flutteshy Faintheart showed her unwillingness by attempting to run away after telling him no when he asked her to copulate with him. Applejack Apple (file unneeded) stopped Thick Brew by physical intervention: she knocked him unconscious and broke his horn.

Thick Brew in holding, trial unneeded as he admits guilt and several other ponies can testify to his guilt.

Action needed: none.

Request? Yes.

Requesting personal punishment delivered by royal sister(s).

If so, why?

This kind of crime indicates an advanced level of sickness in the heart and in the head, not something easily fixable by normal means. Practical request given the rarity of this crime and the prestige of the victim.

Time sensitive? No.

Risk factor? Low.

Other notes:

Fluttershy Faintheart is in a romantic relationship with Rainbow Dash (file unneeded).

Signature:

Cold Cuffs

Celestia considered the request carefully. She leafed through Thick Brew’s file, but there wasn’t much more she felt she needed to know. Before she made up her mind, she read Twilight’s other letter. It informed her of the same incident, with a new perspective. Weary, Celestia pulled herself up and hailed her guard.

She arrived in Ponyville an hour later, and much to the surprise of those ponies who saw her. It was a discreet visit, and she kept quiet as she walked into the jailhouse. Cold Cuffs was very surprised to see her, but lead her right to Thick Brew.

“You are the attempted rapist then, correct?” she asked.

The stallion only nodded, and while he looked up with his eyes he kept his muzzle pointed downward. His horn was in a cast, but his face had been healed fully.

“Good. Stand up.”

He stood.

Celestia used her magic to immaterialize the bars of his cage. She stepped past them as if the iron were only more air, and bent her horn to touch that of the stallion’s. He tried to move away, but there was nowhere to move and Celestia could easily stop him. So he stayed still.

The cast fell off; underneath his horn fixed itself, painfully, in her magic. She straightened up. “It is healed. Horns are conductors of magic, and one of the most fragile things in the equine body. They take special magic to heal, difficult magic. But you will need it healed for this. You sit here because of your extreme selfishness and misguided ideals. I have a punishment fitting for you.”

“What is it?” He asked, afraid.

Celestia willed a large flowerpot to appear beside him, and then picked him up herself, using her magic. She moved him over the pot, “You will be taking care of a living thing for me, and by feeling it grow and feeling it die I hope you might better understand the impact your actions have on others. You will be growing a flower, just an annual, from a seed. But first, don’t be afraid, you well become dirt.”

He dissolved into silt, a confused horror on his face as it turned to soil and settled into the pot. Celestia put a seed in the dirt, and covered it. Picking up the whole pot, she turned to Cold Cuffs and said, “He is still conscious. He will grow a flower for me, when I water it, and then I will bring him back, and he should be ready to free.”

Cold Cuffs couldn’t say anything, he was so startled.

“Don’t worry,” Celestia said as she walked out, “it was a painless transformation.”

Cold Cuffs swallowed, and mumbled to himself, “So that’s what requesting does....”

She put the pot in her carriage and flew herself to Twilight’s library. She knocked, but no one answered. So, asserting her authority, she opened the door and walked in anyway. In the process, she bonked a sleeping Spike on the head, but he only grumbled and didn’t wake up.

Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack were all sitting together on the floor, only Twilight and Applejack awake. The rest were snuggled up in sleeping bags, all circled around the romantic couple.

Applejack and Twilight gasped when she walked in, and immediately bowed.

“Princess Celestia!” They said together in surprise.

“Yes, it’s me.” Celestia laid down on the floor, tucking her legs under her and keeping her neck up so she was now eye-level with the girls. “I got both your letters, Twilight. I see the town is returning to normal, perhaps? Or did you exaggerate the amount of banners placed up?”

“Oh! No, Princess, quite a few have taken them down, since.”

“Good. And your friends?”

She glanced at Applejack, who looked back at her, “They’re all okay, now. They’re asleep, I can wake them up if—“

“It was a long night?”

Twilight nodded.

“Good, let them sleep. Applejack? I understand you have gone from enemy to hero, is that correct?”

Applejack nodded, “Yes mam, uh, your highness.”

Celestia nodded. “Good, I am glad to hear it. You are a good pony, Applejack.”

She nodded, and smiled despite herself, but kept her eyes on the ground.

Celestia yawned, and realized she probably should not have sat down. “Twilight, I think I want to talk to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. But it would be rude to wake them up,” she stood and walked over to the couch no one was using. “So I think I’ll just have to wait here for them.”

Twilight smiled and nodded her head, “That would be fine princess, I can you get you some tea if you want.”

“No, no, it’s alright.” She lit her horn and spoke into the air, “Endurance? Take the pot back to my castle, put it in the garden and get someone to water it for me. I’ll be a while here, you’ll hear from me when I’m done.”

And from the same air, “Yes mam!”

Distantly, a carriage started rattling forward and up. “Thank you, Twilight, I am very tired.” With girly, normal-pony enthusiasm, she bundled herself up in a blanket on the couch and blissfully started to nap.

“This is surreal,” Twilight whispered, shaking her head. “It’s like a dream.”

Applejack looked on quietly.

Pinkie Pie and Rarity woke up at about the same time and saw Celestia. Twilight and Applejack mumbling to each other, Pinkie turned to Rarity to make whispered conversation as well.

“Celestia’s here.”

“So I see. It must be about the town, of course. She looks very happy to be asleep.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “I would be too. I guess we have a chance to talk. Whatcha thinkin’ about?”

“Well, there was something on my mind. Pinkie, when you told Applejack she never loved, a while ago, that was coming from somewhere wasn't it?”

Pinkie gave an odd sadish, tired smile that somehow she pulled out of her billions of smiles.

“So what was it,” Rarity asked, “That prompted that?”

“Well,” Pinkie began her yarn looking down at the floor and rubbing her hooves together, “I've had some... crushes I guess.”

“It's not.”

“It was. Fluttershy's just so kind and caring and I want to scoop her up and kiss her. And Rainbow is so much fun, I wanna fly around with her holding me above the clouds. But they have each other now, and that's good.”

“So does that mean you're a lesbian too?”

Pinkie giggled, “No, silly. I'm pansexual. I think Thunderlane and Big Mac are cute too.”

Rarity smiled, but looked slightly annoyed, “Pinkie, how come you never told us?”

Pinkie shrugged. “I dunno, just never seemed important.”

“Not even in all this big mess about the subject?”

“Well, there was just so much happening. I don’t know. I guess I was more scared than I thought to come out. It’s not like it’s a big deal or anything anyway, I don’t have a special somepony.”

“But you could get one Pinkie. We could help, if you want.”

She shook her head, “No, it’s alright.”

“Are you going to tell the rest of the girls now?”

She nodded, still with that mix of feelings on her face, “I will.”

They were quiet for a minute. Then Rarity asked, “You never made a move on Rainbow or Fluttershy?”

“Well, I was trying to decide between them. It changes, some days I think it would be nice to be with Fluttershy because it would be so nice and she's so nice and we could just snuggle together forever. But then some days I think Rainbow would be better because we could go pranking and have tons of fun doing lots of stuff together.”

Rarity nodded.

“What about you? Gotcha eye on somepony?” Pinkie winked several times, and Rarity giggled.

“Well, Big Mac and Thunderlane are handsome. But no, I don't really have anything going on romance-wise. Now back to you, how come you never perused one of them?”

“Well,” Pinkie dug into the floor with a hoof, “I guess I was always worried I would hurt them. I've heard about it you know,” Pinkie looked up, talking very quietly, becoming still on her sleeping bag, “when loving somepony goes bad and everyone gets hurt. I've always been afraid of that.”

Rarity smiled warmly, in admiration. “You’re a great friend, Pinkie Pie, and a classic romantic. But next time, I think you owe it to yourself to try.”

Pinkie looked at her sincerely, “Thanks Rarity, I might.”

Rainbow Dash woke up first, and woke Fluttershy up before she noticed Princess Celestia contorted on Twilight’s couch.

“Princess?”

Celestia stirred, and forced herself to sit up. But she didn’t open her eyes yet, she let them rest instead. At length, she remembered where she was and she pulled herself to focus. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were just woken up in front of her, and she couldn’t remember what she wanted to say to them. So she started vaguely, “Well, good afternoon girls. You two have been the source of much disturbance recently, as I understand it.”

“Yeah, when the town found out we were dating it went kinda crazy.” Rainbow said. Fluttershy nodded next to her.

“Did you mean to make this big of a scene?”

“No mam,” Fluttershy said, “But once it began there wasn’t any way we could stop it.”

Celestia nodded. “I trust you two, and I’m glad you’re both okay. Fluttershy, I understand you lost a window?”

“Oh, well, yes.”

“I will reimburse you; how much did it cost?”

“Oh, no, it’s alright. I’ve got it covered, your highness.”

She looked at her warmly. “Very well.”

Celestia left after some conversation with them. She didn’t want to keep the palace waiting for her, and she had an address to make. She flew high above the village, and used her magic to project her voice over the whole of it. “Dear citizens of Ponyville.”

It filled every corner of every building, and pushed through every stone on every street. Ponies stopped and looked up, amazed and shocked to see Princess Celestia flying high above them.

“I am here to make an address on the issue of same-sex relationships. I understand in the recent days there has been quite some uproar over it. Accept these different friends, there is nothing wrong with same-sex relationships.”

This was the definitive end to the argument, and after a day of repressed outrage from less than half of the citizens, the news was accepted. All the banners fell, and while a lot of ponies remained angry, things did get better.