Butterflies

Chapter 3

Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing. One of her best friends wasn't a virgin, and she didn't have a clue about it. Questions flew through Twilight's head at the speed of lightf. Twilight had never known Fluttershy to have feelings for anypony - and according to Fluttershy, she didn't - but Twilight had never seen Fluttershy act like more than friends with any stallion. Twilight could only sputter out parts of sentences for a few seconds before composing herself.

"Fluttershy! I...you...sex?"

Fluttershy giggled. "Well...yes. For about a month now, we've been..." Fluttershy didn't get to finish the sentence.

"A month? And it's still going on?" Twilight was beside herself with surprise.

"Of course it's still going on!" Fluttershy was being a little more forceful than normal with her tone, unhappy with Twilight's reaction. "We both enjoy it, and we're both adults, so why shouldn't we? We're not committing some crime, Twilight!"

Twilight was a bit taken aback by her friends' unexpected rebuttal, and calmed down a little because of it. 'You're her friend - not her mother' she thought to herself. Twilight took a deep breath.

"You're right, Fluttershy. I'm sorry I overreacted." Twilight was sincere in her apology.

"That's okay, Twilight," Fluttershy responded along with a gentle nudge, showing she wasn't angry. "I know you only mean well."

They stood still for a few seconds, side-by-side, simply staring into each others' eyes. They once again began their walk back to Fluttershy's home and Ponyville.

"So..." Twilight said slyly, getting a slightly devious grin on her face, "Who's the lucky pony? Is it Big Macintosh? I know he's enjoyed a peek or two at your flank before."

"T-Twilight!" Fluttershy sputtered out, feeling embarrassed and blushing again. "It's not Big Mac! I can't tell you who it is - we promised each other it would be a secret we would keep from everypony. To be honest, you're not even supposed to know that I've been doing this."

"Really?" Twilight wondered aloud. "Then, why did you tell me?"

Fluttershy considered her words for a moment before responding, "Because I trust you. I know that if I say it's a secret, you won't tell anypony." She turned to Twilight with a completely serious look on her face, walking alongside her.

Twilight considered that for a moment. Fluttershy broke a promise to tell her this information. "I promise nopony will ever find out about this Fluttershy. I'll take it to my grave." Twilight responded seriously, and meant her words. Silence fell between them.

Twilight's mind raced, thinking about the various ponies she thought would be a good match for Fluttershy. If it wasn't Big Mac, the choices suddenly expanded to ponies who seemed to be less of a good fit. 'A guard from Canterlot here to visit family or on vacation might be the kind of pony to sweep Fluttershy off her feet. Or maybe a work pony that helps on Sweet Apple Acres?' She went through all the possibilities she could think of.

They walked together in silence for a another 15 minutes or so before Twilight spoke up again.

"Fluttershy?"

"Yes, Twilight?"

"Did you enjoy it?"

Fluttershy blushed again, but responded immediately. "Oh yes, I've had a wonderful time. The first time was a little awkward; it was the first time for both of us, you see. But I'm glad we've started doing this. It's made us very close."

Twilight wasn't as concerned with the physical details, but more worried about Fluttershy's emotional mindset. "It doesn't bother you that you two aren't...together?"

Fluttershy stopped walking and looked at the ground, a slight look of concern on her face. "I've wondered about that too, Twilight. But then I heard something that changed my mind.

'Sex is communication. Through it, we tell the other pony how we feel about them. If we are concerned with their happiness, we try to please them as best we can. If we're not, then we only worry about our own pleasure. Two friends can make each other feel good through gifts or compliments, but for some reason, everypony thinks it's taboo to extend that to sex. There's still emotion, if the ponies are truly friends. Just because it isn't love doesn't mean it becomes meaningless.'

I believe in those words, Twilight. I think that pony was right." Fluttershy said as she looked back up at her dear friend. They once again walked side-by-side as they were nearing the exit of The Everfree Forest.

Twilight had never considered being intimate with any pony she didn't have romantic feelings for. To her, sex was about two ponies in love, bonded to each other for eternity through the joining of their bodies. 'Maybe I've read too many pony tales.' Twilight thought. 'To listen to Fluttershy, it sounds like the emotion is still there, even if it isn't true love. Is true love overrated? Or is the different kind of love between friends underrated?' Twilight struggled with these issues all the way back to Fluttershy's house.

After saying good-bye to Fluttershy, along with the promise to keep her secret, Twilight headed off toward Sweet Apple Acres to get the milk and apples she needed to complete her potion for Princess Celestia. Twilight also broached the subject with relationships with Applejack, who was brief and blunt on her views on the matter.

"No way, sugar cube! I ain't got time to mess around with no stallions. This here farm takes away all my attention. Soon as some stallion comes along willin' to buck just as much as I do, I figure he's a keeper, and I just settle down wit' him!"

Twilight elected not to suggest the idea of a mare coming along to the farm.

With the ingredients gathered, the potion cooking on the fire, and again finding herself with little to do, Twilight took herself a nice long bath. She relaxed in the tub, letting the water clean her mane and skin. She opened up the book she had started reading yesterday. With her magic, levitating it in front of her, she picked up where she left off.

Chapter One

Cecile was new to the small village of Ponyta. She and her parents moved here after her fathers' shop closed up. With a bad reputation in their former town, they needed a fresh start and elected to go to a smaller village than the big city they had enjoyed previously. Cecile had no say in the decision.

Cecile was certain she would hate it. City life was all she knew - beauty, fashion, fame - she wasn't just born for such things; such things were her destiny. She could feel it in her soul. By Celestia, she would fulfill her destiny, no matter what it took. While her parents, both unicorns, unpacked their belongings in their new house, Cecile decided to walk around town.

'I'm stunned by the lack of unicorns in this town! Me and my parents may well be the only ones!' she thought to herself. Just then, another unicorn - in fact, the only other unicorn in the this village of sixty ponies - walked up to Cecile and introduced herself.

"Hello! Welcome to Ponyta!" She spoke with an accent Cecile couldn't quite place. It sounded exoitc. Cecile bowed slightly to the friendly pony, who lived in the next house over, and introduced herself.

"I'm Cecile. It's a true pleasure to meet you."

"What fine manners! I'm Emma!" she said happily. Her thousand-watt smile seemed to brighten the entire area. It even seemed sincere. Cecile couldn't find it in her to hate the smile, as much as she wanted to.

Cecile wondered if she needed to reconsider her opinion of this town.

Twilight smiled. "Going to a small town, against your will, only to find true friendship once you get there? It kinda reminds me of..." Twilight stopped, and her smile faded. She spoke slowly, "I was sent to Ponyville by Princess Celestia, against my will, only to find five ponies who were not like me. But we all became best friends anyway. One of my friends is obsessed with fashion and beauty. And now..." Twilight closed the book with her magic and looked at the front of the book again. She would never have thought twice about the kiss if this book had not given her the idea that it could be something more. But now, the thought that Rarity could have feelings for Twilight began to influence everything she did.

Twilight did not stop reading until she fell asleep reading it late that night.