No Two Flakes

By Mist

Chapter XI

Applejack and Cloudchaser were enjoying each other’s company at Cloudchaser’s apartment. The two were wrapped in a shared blanket on Cloudchaser’s bed just listening to music together without much conversation going on. This was a common activity for them, but Cloudchaser was starting to take note that Applejack’s demeanor was slightly off. AJ usually was a bit more snuggly with her and lately she had been rather detached and distant. Something was clearly bothering her, but Cloudchaser couldn’t put her finger on it. It had started a couple of days ago, after the incident where she almost walked right into the street; all of a sudden after that, Applejack started acting strange and distant to her.

Trying to break the silence and hopefully dispel the awkwardness, Cloudchaser smiled and made a comment to break the ice. “So… Uh… You hear about Pinkie’s party that she’s throwing? Should be fun, right?”

Applejack shrugged. “Um… ‘Ah guess so…”

Finally annoyed with this entire situation, Cloudchaser spoke up. “Okay, what is with you? You’ve been acting super weird lately and it’s driving me insane; did I do something to piss you off?”

“No, it’s nothin’.” Applejack lied.

“Oh my fucking God, I told you before that you’re the worst fucking liar in existence so why do you try and bullshit me?” Cloudchaser asked.

Applejack sighed and scooted away from Cloudchaser a bit, which already gave Cloudchaser a hint as to what the problem was.

“Look… Maybe… We shouldn’t see each other anymore…”

Cloudchaser stood up and placed a hand on her head, pressing her temples as she digested this break up. She almost saw this coming but she was exhausted from their on and off dance that they seemed to be forever locked in.

“Jesus FUCKING CHRIST APPLEJACK!” Cloudchaser shouted as she punched her wall leaving another dent in it to add to her large collection of dents on that same wall.

“I AM SICK OF THIS HORSESHIT! HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET YOU TO FUCKING COMMIT TO SOMETHING!?” She screamed.

Applejack hushed her and tried to get her to relax. “Calm down… It’s not like that…”

“Then what is it like, Applejack? Afraid that people might know you’re a fucking lesbian? Is that the worst thing that can happen to you?” Cloudchaser stepped closer.

“No…” Applejack replied meekly.

“What then? What do I owe this break up to?”

Applejack backed further into the corner she was in. “Just don’t worry ‘bout it…”

“No, I deserve to know why you keep jerking me around like this! I’m sick of this shit. You can hang out here and fuck me, but you can’t fucking let anyone know that you love me. What fucking gives!?” Cloudchaser yelled.

Finally backed too far into a corner, Applejack fight or flight instincts finally kicked in and caused her to blurt out what she was actually thinking. “It’s because you’re blind!” She yelled.

Cloudchaser paused and relaxed a bit with confusion on her face. “Soooo… You hate me now because I’m blind? I didn’t think I’d be hearing this from you.”

“It’s not like that. ‘Ah don’t hate you at all. Hell, y’all being blind ain’t what bothers me either, God knows I can’t ever stop thinkin’ ‘bout you…” Applejack defended.

“What then?” Cloudchaser demanded to know.

Applejack sighed. “The other day… When y’all almost got hit by that car…” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Ya’ almost got hit… If ‘Ah had been just a second too late…”

“So what? I’m fine, that’s all that matters, right?” Cloudchaser argued.

“But what ‘bout next time? When ‘Ah don’t react fast enough, what then?” Applejack said.

Cloudchaser became more visibly angry. “I can take care of myself, don’t worry about it. I’ve done fine thus far.”

“No, ya’ can’t that’s the problem and then y’all can’t admit when ya’ need help!” Applejack stood up as she spoke.

“I don’t need a babysitter, I’m fine!”Cloudchaser yelled.

“No, that’s the problem, ya’ ain’t! You’re too stubborn!” Applejack retorted.

“Well here’s the pot calling the fucking kettle black.” Cloudchaser rolled her eyes as she retorted.

Applejack pointed to a set of walking sticks in the corner of the room as she responded. “Y’all don’t even take your fuckin’ walkin’ stick out with you every time ya’ go out! Ya’ jus’ fuckin’ walk around all willy nilly like ya’ got everything under control!”

“Fuck you, Applejack… Just, fuck you. Get out!” Cloudchaser demanded.

Applejack didn’t even bother protesting, she walked to the door and opened it. “Fine.” She replied plainly as she closed it behind her.

Cloudchaser growled and pushed a bunch of assorted items off of her dresser before grabbing it and pushing it over. The crash shook a table in the room and knocked down a perfume bottle which shattered on the floor. After the commotion, she slumped to the ground and planted her rear on the floor before wrapping her arms around her knees.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she felt a huge hole ripped in her heart that had finally just got done healing. Loving Applejack was like putting a bandaid over an old wound and ripping it off everytime it was just about to heal.

On rare occasions, Twilight would visit Pinkie’s apartment. It usually was either catching her at work or inviting Pinkie over to her place that caused the two to hang around each other, mostly due to their busy schedules, but Twilight had decided to pay Pinkie a visit at her own abode for a change. After all, she was getting a little guilty about always bothering her at her workplace to discuss problems she was having or have personal conversations.

Knocking on the door, she was surprised to see a familiar classmate answer. There stood Script with his messy attire, throwing a jacket on as it appeared as though he was on his way out. “Oh, hey Twilight.” He commented with a smile as he stepped around her. He looked back into the apartment and approaching the door was Pinkie only wearing a pair of underwear and what appeared to be Script’s button up dress shirt which was only halfway buttoned. Her hair was a bigger mess than its usual cotton candy appearance.

“I’ll call you.” She said as she stuck her tongue out in Script’s direction. He smirked and nodded as he took his leave. Pinkie looked to Twilight and gestured for her to enter.

Still taking in what she was seeing, Twilight remained silent as she entered the apartment and took a seat on the couch. Pinkie retrieved a beer from the fridge and took a big swig before sitting down in the chair adjacent to Twilight, her full legs lying over the shoulder of the chair. Twilight could see a black bra peeking out of her unbuttoned shirt. She could tell from just that peek that a girl as busty as Pinkie had a hard time finding a bra that fit right.

With a grin, Pinkie broke the silence. “Sorry I’m not dressed for the occasion.”

Twilight shook her head and attempted not to stare. “No, it’s fine. Clearly I was interrupting something…”

Pinkie giggled before downing another swig. “Nah, you were just stopping round three from happening. We had already gotten through rounds one and two.”

Finally realizing the topic wasn’t going to be avoided, Twilight began to speak openly. “Three times? Really? You can do that?” She gave off an aura of general amazement.

“Oh please, three is nothing. My record is twelve in one day, I had to skip work.” The party girl laughed.

Twilight had never really seen this side of Pinkie. Truth be told, they never really talked about sex or romance before.

“TWELVE!?” She had to cover her mouth to prevent herself from yelling louder, but Twilight found it hard to contain herself.

Pinkie nodded. “Yeah, but I was younger then, a little more energetic.”

Twilight found it difficult to imagine an even more spry and wound up Pinkie.

“So when did… You and…” Twilight was stuttering, finding it hard to even finish that thought.

Pinkie laughed. “Oh, since we met when you saw us, he came in a few days later and we hooked up in the back room, and it’s been a reoccurring thing since.”

Twilight wanted to comment about how that was definitely a health code violation, but she decided it might be best not to make the situation any stranger than it already was. “So you two are dating now?”

“Oh god, no. We’re just very… “Beneficial” to each other if you catch my drift.” She winked to hint Twilight in.

Twilight wasn’t exactly too familiar with that kind of relationship, but she had seen it before. She nodded in understanding and hoped they could drop the subject all together. Being poorly experienced herself, she was a little taken back by Pinkie’s apparently very lively sex life. Twilight had gone on dates before in high school and her early college years, but they always only panned out to a few dates and a kiss or two before anything serious happened.

“So, what can I do you for?” Pinkie asked. She reached out with the bottle still in her hand to Twilight. “Want some?”

Twilight declined and shook her head. “No thank you… I just… I feel like a lot of our friends are changing, you know?”

“What do you mean?” Pinkie asked.

“Well… Spike has gotten really secretive for starters, he used to tell me everything, but now whenever I come over, he is always on his way out to do something or busy. Applejack is a mess for a lack of a better explanation, and Rainbow won’t even talk to me…” She sighed. “I feel like I used to know everyone so well; and now I don’t.”

Pinkie nodded and giggled. “Twilight, you spend too much time wanting to know what the future will bring.”

“Well of course, I like to plan ahead.” Twilight defended.

“Sometimes you just need to let the chips fall where they may. Stop trying to control things and just take a chance at letting fate decide for you.” Pinkie instructed.

“You think I try to control things too much?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie laughed. “Twilight, once when we went to the movies you were trying to tell me which underwear to wear, remember?”

“Hey! I was just considering the length of the film. If you had worn what you originally had intended, you would have gotten uncomfortable from sitting for two and a half hours and wanted to get up halfway through the film!” Twilight defended again.

Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Twilight, you came to my apartment the next day and picked out what I should wear…”

“I didn’t want you getting hit on too much because last time we went out you got hit on so many times we had to stop and we were late!” Twilight pouted.

Pinkie snickered. “And what happened that day anyways?”

Twilight sighed as she recalled. “You wore tight thin pants, a thong and you got hit on 17 times, and we were still late…”

“A lot of good that planning did, huh?” Pinkie smirked.

Twilight nodded in defeat.

“My point is that you need to just chill out and let things happen. I know things with you and Rainbow will work out, just wait and see what happens. The right thing to do will come to you.” Pinkie reassured.

Perking up, Twilight sat upright. “Hey, I didn’t say my issue was Rainbow exclusively, just that it was part of the problem…”

Pinkie rolled her eyes again. “Twilight, you’ve called me like four times this week to talk about something else and the conversation ends up moving towards Rainbow and staying there for several hours.”

Twilight laughed nervously. “I guess I am a little concerned about that…”

“Just relax, Twilight. When the right time to make things right with Rainbow appears, you’ll know.” Pinkie said.

Twilight only hoped that was soon, the anticipation was killing her. She had never felt so rotten before.

Soarin punched in his crush’s number one more time hoping he’d get past her answering machine this time. After only a few rings, he heard the familiar “please leave a message” that he loathed at this point. He hung up in frustration and sighed.

Setting a tray with some fast food on it in front of him, his old friend Spitfire took a fry in her mouth and spoke with food still stashed in her gob. “So, what’s eatin’ you asshole?” She joked.

Soarin groaned and took a sip of his soda.

“Man you’ve been crabby lately. Stop checking your phone, douchebag, what’re you waiting for? Did Rainbow finally turn straight because you were declared the last fuckable thing on the planet?” She loved messing with him.

“That’s not funny, man…” Soarin protested.

Spitfire swallowed and rolled her eyes. “Lighten up, I’m just messin’. What’s got your panties in a bunch lately?”

Deciding he could trust her, he sighed and leaned in, gesturing for her to do the same which she followed suit. “Alright listen, you can’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Alright fine, why the hush hush?” Spitfire asked in a whispered tone.

Soarin huddled close with her and spoke softly. “Me and Fluttershy sort of had a thing…”

Spitfire blinked, for a moment she couldn’t process what he was saying. She needed to confirm if they were thinking of the same Fluttershy, because Spitfire always knew her as a very timid girl who could never go for a guy like Soarin. “You mean Fluttershy from English class? The one with the super soft voice? Latino girl?”

Soarin nodded. “Fuck me, you really are a stud…” She chuckled. “How’d you get her to go for you?”

“It’s not like that.” Soarin protested.

“What is it like then?”

“I really like her, Spitfire… But after we… Well you know… I can’t get a hold of her. She doesn’t answer my texts and hasn’t picked up a single time since I’ve called…” He frowned and looked down in defeat. “I feel like I did something wrong…”

Spitfire shrugged. “Did you do some weird moves or something?”

He shook his head. “Not really…”

“Maybe she just wanted sex?” Spitfire suggested.

“Unlikely. She’s not like that.” Soarin defended Fluttershy.

Spitfire shrugged again. “Not much you can do then.”

“And that’s what’s killing me… I at least want to know what I did wrong… I told her I’d call for us to hang out after and I did exactly when I said I would, but she never answered…” Soarin said.

“Trying to understand a girl is like trying to learn another language, sometimes you just can’t pick it up so easily.” Spitfire explained.

“I guess…” Soarin sighed as he looked back at his phone hoping that maybe Fluttershy would call at that exact moment and prove Spitfire wrong, but no such luck. His device remained silent, unlike his head which was racing with thoughts so loud that he couldn’t focus on anything else these days.

Rarity stood at the bus stop in deep thought once again. Her mind was falling back onto what happened with Ice and then to Rainbow having to face that man by herself. She knew that Rainbow was filled with vengeance and that Rarity was hardly enough to contain that anger and venom. At this point, Rainbow was ready to track down Ice with a knife just to get the satisfaction of seeing his face when she pierced him with the blade. Rarity knew that Rainbow slept with a gun under her pillow, but she imagined that these days she didn’t get much sleep at all.

Next to her, a young girl approached and stood next to her as she waited for the same bus. Rarity took note of her vibrant yellow hair with red highlights; it stood out quite heavily in the winter that they were in. The girl’s face was contorted to a look of anguish and stress.

“Rough day?” Rarity asked.

“Something like that…” The girl replied, not trying to make eye contact.

“I understand, I’m not exactly having the best of times right now.” Rarity admitted.

There was something soothing about talking to a stranger that she knew didn’t understand the whole situation to her. Maybe it was the certainty that she wouldn’t be judged too harshly.

“I’ve been having a rough eternity…” The girl said.

Rarity frowned and offered a hand. “Rarity.” She introduced.

The girl didn’t take her hand, but instead just looked at it and gave her name. “Sunset.”

Rarity withdrew her hand and gave a warm smile. “Not very good at greetings?”

“More like I have issues with intimacy… Or at least that’s what my therapist says…” Sunset responded, before tucking her hands into her jacket pockets.

“I’m sorry to hear…” Rarity looked forward to where the bus would eventually arrive as she determined the eye contact was making this Sunset more uncomfortable.

“So what is troubling you, Sunset?” Rarity asked.

“I doubt you’d understand…” Sunset responded.

“Fine, I’ll go first.” Rarity giggled.

She took a deep breath before speaking. “I am thinking about a friend who is about to kill the man who destroyed her whole life. This man killed her only family, and now she is trying to return the favor.”

Sunset blinked and looked over to Rarity with shock and surprise. Perhaps she didn’t expect someone like Rarity to be in such a situation. “Wait, really!?”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, and this man came to my room and told me if we pursued him any further he would kill me too.”

“What’re you going to do?” Sunset asked.

“I think… I need to face my fears.” Rarity responded.

“You may need to kill him then…” Sunset explained.

Rarity nodded again. “Yes… That thought crossed my mind… But I know I have to take that risk…”

“Why?” Sunset asked.

Rarity smiled and looked over to her new acquaintance. “To prove to myself that I’m strong enough. Killing carries a great burden, but if I must kill this man to spare her that burden, I am willing to do that. I’m strong enough, I know I am.”

“Y-you could bring yourself to do it?” Sunset stuttered.

“I am not doing it because of him; I would do it for myself. I am not going to let him harm my friends or control me with fear. I refuse to be intimidated anymore, and because of that, if he forces my hand, I may just make that leap.” Rarity spoke gently.

Sunset nodded. “You’re a strong woman… I wish I was half as strong as you…”

“What’s stopping you?” Rarity asked.

“I’m just not strong enough… I’ve lived in fear for so long that it’s all I really know… I spent my life running away from my problems, hiding from them…” Sunset looked to the ground as she spoke with a depressed tone.

“There’s always time to change.” Rarity responded.

“You think so?” Sunset perked up and looked to Rarity again.

Rarity nodded. “I’m certain of it. The past may be filled with problems that you’ve run from, but your past doesn’t control you, Sunset. You control your own destiny.”

Rarity blinked and smiled again, suddenly filled with confidence from her own speech to this girl she had just met. She was right and she knew it, the past didn’t have to pave the way for the future for her or Rainbow.

Author's Note

Splitting AJ and Cloudchaser up again was hard for me to do. I really enjoyed their dynamic, so it was a shame to push them apart again.