Romance and the Fate of Equestria

Chapter Fifty-Two

"So you see," Iron Will declared, "those you meet who may seeeeem like KINDRED SPIRITS…! …They will never compare to the FRIENDS who have stood by your side for yeeeeeears. CAN YOU BE CERTAIN that the ponies who are just like you will HAVE YOUR BACK in the haaaaard trials ahead? Your friends may be different from you… but that's how they make youuuuu the BEST—PONY—YOU CAN BEEEEEE!"

Iron Will paced the stage, looking out at the Canterlot audience, still enraptured after two hours of this lecture.

"The final message of the evening," he said, surprisingly calm now, "is that… nopony is an island. For all our lives, we are bound to others. If ever you feel alone, merely look up into the sky…" He held up a massive arm and gazed into the sky. "And I guarantee you… somepony who loves you is marveling at the same rainbow… wishing upon the same star… waiting for you…

"If there's ever a day you feel there's something you can't do, remember that your friends will come through. Who your true friends are will be laid clear and made plain… and with true friends, well… ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!"

At that proclamation, smoke and streams of flame shot out of the stage. Music swelled and Iron Will vanished, replaced by DJ P0n-3, who burst out of the smoke with a microphone and started bounding around the stage singing energetically, backed up by Octavia playing her cello and, surprisingly, beatboxing at the same time.

Fluttershy met up with Iron Will backstage. "Oh, Iron Will, that was wonderful!" she said.

"Who, me?" Iron Will growled modestly. "That was your seminar, Fluttershy. I just read it."

"Yeah, but you really made it your own," Fluttershy said, turning away shyly. "I never would have imagined you reading it that way…"

Iron Will knelt down and stroked Fluttershy's mane. "Well, I can't thank you enough," he said. "This is the greatest thing Iron Will has ever done, and it's all thanks to you."

She nodded. "And you've done more than your share of great things for me. So, what happens now? Do I need to write something new?"

"No, no, the current version can keep us going forever," Iron Will said. "Don't fix what ain't broken, as they say. My original routine, most of the material stayed the same for years. But I did change it, every now and then, such as when I discovered a new technique or received pointers on the material from, and this is just one example, a dissatisfied audience member." He winked at her.

Fluttershy giggled.

"So, you feel free to relax," Iron Will said. "If you should happen to learn anything new about friendship and kindness that you think Equestria needs to know, then by all means… make the necessary modifications to the script."

"Okay," Fluttershy said. "I hope we can stay in touch, even if I can't tour with you."

"Well, as it happens, Iron Will was wondering about that…" Iron Will said tenderly, leaning down even farther. "It's been all business between you and me, but I've learned so much about myself from your seminar, that I can't help but wonder…" He stroked her hair once again. "Maybe there'd be a lot more power behind The Magic of Friends if there was a more personal connection between us…"

Nervously, Fluttershy lifted a hoof and slowly guided his hand away from her. "We've taught each other a great deal of things, Iron Will," she said shakily. "We are, and always will be, friends. That's why we're such good partners. Never fear that a sense of business will overcome what's between us."

Iron Will scowled. "You do know what Iron Will actually meant by that, right?"

"Yes."

"And… that's your answer?"

"It is."

Iron Will stood up and dusted himself off. "Well, all right then," he said, turning his gaze to the floor. "That'll have to satisfy… for now."

"I'll see you at the after-party?" Fluttershy said hopefully.

"Of course… partner."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The after-party was held in a ballroom just down the street from the grandiose concert hall where the seminar had been given. The room was dim, with multicolored magical lights flying around and illuminating only certain portions of the room at any given time.

A huge set of DJ turntables was set up at the back of the room, and the duo of musician ponies was operating it. DJ P0n-3 was wearing Octavia's tie and collar, and Octavia wore the DJ's trademark purple shades. Octavia was singing to the slow and haunting melody playing from the speakers.

Pinkie Pie approached the table where her five friends gathered, setting down the plate of drinks she had retrieved and passing them around. "You guys see my little sister up there spinning tunes?" she said with delight. "Aw, look at how happy she is. For the first time ever, she's finally starting to act like a child. I'm so proud!"

"Congratulations, Fluttershy," Twilight said, raising her glass. "It already feels like friendship in Equestria is more alive than ever."

"Hear, hear," Applejack agreed. "Good work, sugarcube."

Fluttershy gave a small smile as she stared at her drink, avoiding her friends' eyes. "Thanks, everypony."

"What's wrong, darling?" Rarity asked.

She hesitated before answering and didn't look up. "Iron Will… tried to make a rather romantic sort of gesture toward me."

"Uh-oh," Applejack muttered.

"What kind of gesture?" Rarity asked sharply.

"He implied very strongly that he wants us to be more than just friends and collaborators," Fluttershy peeped. "I'm just wondering what you girls think I should do."

"What did you do?" Twilight said. "What did you tell him?"

"Um… I don't really remember," Fluttershy admitted. "Something heartrending and soul-crushing about what a good friend he was, I think."

"Ouch," Rainbow said, wincing.

"Yeah, not one of my finer moments," Fluttershy said, blushing. "So, he's pretty much crushed and I feel terrible. Can you help me?"

There was a pause as a loud and rapid beat was added to the music, and DJ P0n-3 jumped over the turntables and launched into a rap, Octavia backing her up with her continued eerie vocalizations and record-scratches.

"I think you did the right thing, darling," Rarity said. "You're business partners, and any personal entanglements would ruin that."

"I'm inclined to agree," Twilight said. "Then again, you two are aiming to teach about love. Maybe a relationship that's more personal than business would aid that."

"Yes, but a romantic involvement is just asking for trouble," Rarity argued.

"It doesn't have to be," Twilight said. "It could really open them up and make their work truly shine."

"Oh, that's not what I'm worried about," Fluttershy muttered. "I just… what are your overall opinions on dating… interspecies-wise?"

Twilight grinned. "Oh, don't be silly, Fluttershy. This is the eleventh century, there's no controversy whatsoever on that subject. We're all intelligent beings capable of love. We've known this for a long time."

"Yeah," Rainbow said. "I… I think you should do it. You like Iron Will, right? Not a bad guy to take it to the next level with. Personally, I've always been into, uh… you know. Bovines. Guy bovines, at least. I could go for a bull or a buffalo or a yak. They just ooze hyper-masculinity. Of course, Iron Will's not really a bull, is he? More of a bull-ape-monster thing."

"A minotaur, yes," Fluttershy said.

"Right," Rainbow agreed. "Good-looking enough guy, once you get past the whole 'standing erect' thing and the… whatcha call 'em, those things… claws, but soft and pudgy?"

"Fingers," Twilight supplied.

"Yeah, fingers," Rainbow said. "Fingers wig me out. But yeah, anypony who has a problem with you dating outside your species is an ignorant old snob who deserves to be shot with a crossbow."

"Yeah… I thought that's what the prevailing opinion was," Fluttershy muttered. "Wasn't sure… um… Applejack, what do you think?"

Applejack had been looking away, but turned quickly toward Fluttershy. "Oh! Um… well, I don't have a problem with you mixin' business and personal, and I don't care either way about that interspecies dating crap. I just… I'm still pretty attached to the idea of you"—she let out a choked sob and turned away—"you endin' up with my brother."

Tears dripped down Applejack's face. "I… I'm sorry, I just… I let myself imagine you and my big bro gettin' married, just now. I didn't think this bowl of puddin' I call my brain could come up with a picture that beautiful. It was… I'm sorry, don't mind me, just keep talkin'."

The rapping and the wailing both stopped abruptly as DJ P0n-3 and Octavia stood back to back, their voices melding together in harmony to the upbeat pop song that the record had segued into.

Rainbow patted Applejack on the shoulder as she spoke to Fluttershy. "Look, Fluttershy, what we think doesn't matter. If you want to date Iron Will, or you just want to keep it business, or if you don't want to get back with Big Mac, or… I'm sorry, I'm putting words in your mouth. Let me start over: why don't you tell us what you think, and we'll work from there."

"Um, okay…" Fluttershy muttered. "Well… I do like the idea of the two of us working to spread love and friendship around Equestria… as a couple. It appeals to me. I can see it clearly in my head. But… I'm just not interested in him in that way. I can't be, because…" She looked around desperately. "You're all going to think I'm a complete bigot for saying this, but… I'm—I'm only attracted to ponies."

Pinkie raised herself up in surprise. "Really?" she blurted with wide-eyed interest.

"Yes," Fluttershy said, embarrassed. "I… think it's because, ever since I was a teenager, I've known that I wanted to have foals someday. And not through any alternative means of having children… the real thing. I wanna go through pregnancy, and have foals that are a perfect mix of me and my husband, whoever he might be, created in a breathtaking night of passion… if there's ever any chance of that happening, that's what I want."

"You're a breeder," Rainbow said simply.

"Yes," Fluttershy said. She brightened, inspired by the word. "Yes! That's it exactly! I'm a breeder."

Rainbow nodded. "Don't beat yourself up, that's totally normal."

"Is it?" Fluttershy said. "That's a relief. I wondered if I was becoming… hateful."

"Impossible," Twilight declared. "It's just an example of your sentiment and your love of nature."

Fluttershy beamed. "Yeah… which isn't to say I would object to adoption or fostering children, ponies or otherwise. That would be delightful… but more than anything, I want to make my own from scratch."

Twilight smiled back at her. "So, what are you going to do about Iron Will, then?"

Fluttershy bit her lip. "I don't know. He must be pretty hurt… I won't let things get weird. I'll find a way to make it up to him."

"That's sweet, Fluttershy, it really is," Rainbow said thoughtfully. "So… is that why you wouldn't go out with me after our fun little encounter at graduation? I wondered about that for years. I guess, even as awesome as I am, I still can't knock you up."

"Um… yes," Fluttershy said, blushing. "Though the fact that you and I would be completely incompatible as a couple was a factor in that decision as well."

"Hmm, fair point."

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Endnotes

Got three endnotes for this one, because sometimes I just can't shut up…

1: Notice that, just like Silver Spoon wasn't mentioned at all between chapters 18 and 37, Iron Will didn't make any in-minotaur appearances between chapter 11 and now. These things aren't intentional; there's just so much going on in this fic that huge gaps like that between character appearances are going to be a pretty common thing. It's kind of unfortunate… but then again, it makes the moments where I do get to write these characters a lot more fun.

2: As I've mentioned, I have most of these chapters prepped many months before I actually get the chance to type them up. The throwaway moment where Twilight offers up the word "fingers" became a lot less throwaway when Equestria Girls made a point (also throwaway) out of how she never does learn the name for "these". Hate it when that happens. But I'm stubborn; once I've written a moment, it's set in stone. So there you have it.

3: This is the one that's actually important. I sometimes look at settings where there's more than one species of intelligent being and ponder the implications of interspecies relationships. I think that such a thing would be inevitable… after all, people are people, and no matter what someone looks like, anyone can fall in love with anyone when it comes to a meeting of minds and souls. Now, depending upon how evolved the society is, such a thing would have varying degrees of acceptability… in a place as idealistic as Equestria, I'm sure nopony would think anything of it. But on the same note, I think such settings would also have "breeders", those who only date within their own species because otherwise they couldn't have children. And that would be perfectly acceptable too. Unless it's a world full of hippies.