A Lesson in Skinny Love

Celestia’s sun was well on its way into the west when the six mares finally parted ways. The bill had been paid, plates has been cleared, and ponies had been scolded by Rarity for belching too loudly (ponies in question being Pinkie and Applejack). It had proven to be a delightful lunch for the six friends and had certainly calmed a few nerves.

Ponyville had begun to bustle since Tirek’s defeat, tourists coming from all over to see where the dark god had been defeated.Those who worked in the entrepreneur business, such as Rarity and Pinkie Pie, were busy making their merchandise appealing to the visitors. Ponies like Fluttershy who tended to keeping the town itself appealing were this way and that, trying to pay attention to everypony at once. Applejack was in the middle of these two categories. Her farm was responsible for Ponyville’s main food supply. From apples (of course) and corn to milk and eggs. She needed to make sure her products sold to keep her family fed and to keep the town happy, and the new attention to the town was definitely beginning to wear on her. Still, busy was good for the finances and well worth some sleep deprivation. At least, that’s what she told herself.

Pinkie Pie caught up to Applejack on her way out of the restaurant after giving Rainbow Dash a goodbye-hug and the two walked side-by-side in a comfortable silence until Applejack realized that they were heading toward Sweet Apple Acres and away from Ponyville.

“Goin’ my way, Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked with a cocked eyebrow. Something was… off. For one thing, they were able to walk in complete silence for nearly a minute; which wouldn’t be so weird on a normal occasion but this was Pinkie Pie. The other thing was Pinkie’s face. She wasn’t frowning, but there was no sign of a smile either.

Pinkie was quiet for a moment, as if thinking of her response before letting out a tiny sigh and shaking her head. “No.”

“Alright…?”

“I actually just wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh,” Applejack said. There was another beat of silence before she added, “About what?”

“What do you think about…” Pinkie trailed off and furrowed her brow in thought. “If you were to-- no.What’s your opinion on-- uh.”

“Pinkie, just say what you need to say.”

Pinkie closed her eyes and heaved another sigh. “What do think about mares who like mares?”

That… was not what I expected

She could feel Pinkie Pie’s gaze boring into her as she gathered her thoughts. She had to be careful about what she said here. Sexuality was a sensitive subject and just one wrong word could cause a lot of drama.She also barely managed to stifle a laugh that of all days Pinkie could have chosen to ask this question, she chose the day Rainbow had decided to come out.

“I think,” Applejack began, speaking slowly, “that ponies should be allowed to like whoever they want without feeling ashamed or embarrassed.”

“So… you have no problem with it?”

“No problems at all.”

“Really? You’re super duper sure?”

“Yup.”

The next moment went by in a blur for Applejack as she was knocked to the ground and found her muzzle buried in a pink neck as Pinkie Pie tackle-hugged her into the dirt road. She could feel Pinkie’s hooves encircling her tightly. She was saying something, but Applejack was too focused on trying to recapture her breath to hear.

“... just so happy to hear you say that because I’ve been so soworried about what to do!” Pinkie was saying. “I mean, you ever get into a situation where you don’t know what you’re going to do because it all just seems really really impossible? That’s me right now. Well, it was. But now that I’m talking to you it seems a teeny tiny bit not-so-impossible! And now--”

Sweet mother of Celestia-- "Pinkie Pie!”

“Yes?”

Applejack took a deep breath, desperately trying to organize her thoughts into something coherent. It was almost as if Pinkie’s rambling thoughts had infected her own. “What are you talkin’ about?”

And again came the blank stare, the look from blue eyes that never failed to make Applejack a bit uneasy. “Blank” was not a good look for Pinkie Pie. The other mare blinked as she plopped down in the gravel. It was silent save for the faint bustling of the town and Pinkie’s hesitant hooves sliding against the ground, looking anywhere but at the orange mare in front of her.

Applejack frowned.”Pinkie, what’s gotten into you? You were fine at lunch.” She sat next to her friend and wrapped what she hoped was a comforting hoof around her shoulders. “Everything okay?”

Pinkie huffed and gave Applejack a small smile. “Everything’s fine, really. It’s just… I have a problem.”

“What is it?”

“I…”

“Yeah?”

“Well… what do you think Rainbow Dash’s opinion is on mares who like other mares?”

System crash…
Error in thought management
Rebooting… 1… 2… 3…

“Wh...what?”
“Do you think she’s okay with it?” Pinkie asked, cheeks bright red. “I mean, she doesn’t really seem like a pony who would have a problem with it but you never know, y’know?”

“Have a problem with-- what?!” Applejack jumped to her hooves. “Rainbow Dash would be the last pony in Equestria to have a problem with… that."

“Really?” Pinkie asked. “How do you know?”

“Because, she’s--”

”Applejack!” Rainbow Dash’s voice cracked as she whipped around, her ears flat and eyes wide. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. “It’s my farm…?”

“Ugh!”

“Were you talkin’ to yourself, sugarcube?”

“Wha-- no! M-maybe?”

“Dash…Don’t lie to me.”

Rainbow stood her ground for a long moment longer before sighing and folding her wings. “How...how much did you hear?”

“Enough to know that you’re hidin’ who you are,” Applejack replied, striding toward her distraught friend. “Although I had kinda guessed before.”

“You can’t tell anypony about this, okay?”

“But, Dash--”

“I’m serious, Applejack! I know what you’re gonna say, but this is just something I need you to do. Please. I need you to Pinkie Promise.”

.... crap.

“Uh, because she’s a… nice pony!” Applejack decided.

Pinkie Pie looked like she was about to argue, so Applejack cut her off before she could begin: “And nice ponies don’t judge other ponies for things like that.”

“Really?”

“Of course, sugarcube,” Applejack assured her. "Rainbow Dash can be crude and a bit... insensitive at times, but she's not judgemental. She would be the last pony to have a problem with that."

"I know, I know!" Pinkie whined with a small hoof stomp. " I just can't stop thinking about how she would react if she found out that I... well..."

Applejack already knew the answer, but she asked anyway. It wasn't about being right, it was about comforting her friend.

"Pinkie Pie?"

Pinkie spared a nervous glance, but said nothing. Applejack took it as permission to continue.

"Do you like mares, sugarcube?"

Pinkie Pie hummed in thought. "Yes. Well, no. But yes."

"Beg pardon?"

Pinkie Pie bounced to her hooves. "Well, I don't like just mares, I like everypony! Everypony is cute and attractive and romantic in their own way! How can I like just one or the other?" Pinkie blew a raspberry. "Booooring.

Applejack chuckled and ruffled her curly locks, happy to see Pinkie more upbeat. "Well, I think that's great sugarcube. Now why don't y--"

"BUT DON'T TELL ANYPONY!"

"What?!" Applejack exclaimed. "Why keep it a secret?"

"Because maybe you're okay with it, but other ponies might not be! So you have to keep it a secret!"

"B--"

"Promise!"

"I--"

"No!" Pinkie said, cupping Applejack's cheeks with her hooves and pressing their noses together. "Pinkie. Promise."

Applejack's head felt like it was about to explode. This day was just getting more weird as it went on, yet Pinkie Pie was serious. Blue eyes narrowed and hooves just on the verge of shaking with anxiety where they held Applejack's face, Pinkie Pie was very serious about this. What else could she do?

With a small sigh, Applejack leaned away from Pinkie Pie.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," she sighed as she performed the appropriate movements.

"Good!"

"But..." Applejack drawled, not quite ready to accept the end of this conversation just yet. "I still think you should be honest with others, Pinkie."

Pinkie groaned, rolling her eyes before dropping her head back before slamming it her face into the dirt with a painful thud. Applejack almost felt concern for her. Almost.

This was Pinkie, after all.

"I thought you might say that," Pinkie grumbled, her voice muffled by the dirt.

"It's in my nature," Applejack retorted with a smirk.

After yanking her face out of the ground, Pinkie Pie looked at Applejack again with a pout. Applejack cocked an eyebrow, unphased by the same puppy-dog face that Applebloom had tried so many times.

"You... really think they'll take it alright?" Pinkie asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Applejack's annoyance melted at that and she placed a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Sugarcube, I can't speak for everypony. But I will tell you that our friends love you very much. They ain't gonna care about who you fancy."

"But what if they do?"

"Then... Then maybe they ain't ponies you wanna be friends with anyway."

Ouch. It hurt Applejack to say as much as it seemed to hurt Pinkie to hear. Her friend's ears dropped and eyes were downcast. As harsh as it was, Applejack firmly believed what she said. If, say, Twilight were to be disgusted with Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash's lifestyles, would they feel comfortable around her anymore? Hay, would Applejack feel comfortable around her? Would they even be able to see Twilight the same after that?

Well... no. No, no, and no. But that wouldn't happen.

" O' course it's your decision," Applejack broke the silence. "Whether you do it today or in ten years, it doesn't matter. But I think doin' it and gettin' it over with will take a lot of stress off of you."

It was halfway through her spiel that Applejack remembered that she was in no way qualified to be giving this kind of advice, but she was now the sole confidant of not one, but two closeted friends. Officially qualified for this? No, but she didn't have much of a choice. She couldn't just leave her friends lost in the dark. She was like...

A gay magnet. Or something.

Pinkie Pie was quiet for a moment before giving a solid nod and salute. "You're right, Applejack. I'll do it today, even! The sooner the better!"

"Good!" Applejack exclaimed with a smile.

"But I can't do it alone!"

"Pardon?"

How did she get herself roped into this?

"Alright, Applejack. I'm ready to come out."

"Okie Dokie Lokie! Applejack, one of the greatest friends of all time, has agreed to help me come out!"

Applejack bit the inside of her cheek to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"First, I... I think I should tell Fluttershy. I've known her the longest."

Ooh! Who first, who first? How about... oh! Fluttershy! She's a good first choice. She's not a meanie."

... Nightmare. Definitely a nightmare.

"What do you think, AJ? Meet at Fluttershy's at 2?"

"3 o'clock! That will be a good time to visit Fluttershy. She shouldn't be too busy, right?"

Two of her closest friends. Both in the closet and ready to come out, both in love with and terrified of each other, both looking to Applejack to be there when they need her most. Today.

"Remember Applejack, we just play it cool. Let me do the talking."

"Should I write out all the things I say? Make a list? Oh wow, I sound like Twilight, haha!"

Two secrets that she had the responsibility of keeping.

"I've got this... we've got this, AJ. See you in an hour!"

"Ooh, I'm so nervous-cited! See you in a couple of hours, Applejack!"

... Crap.