“I don’t think we should leave Butterscotch alone right now,” Elusive whispered to Dusk.

“Let’s bring him to my place,” Dusk Shine replied. “It’s closer than your parents place, and Gleaming Shield is on night duty tonight, so she won’t mind if Butterscotch stays over.”

It was slow going, but Elusive and Dusk managed to help the shell-shocked Butterscotch back to the house. It was a small two storey building, wedged tightly between the neighbouring houses. Butterscotch leaned numbly on Elusive’s shoulder as Dusk unlocked the door. The moment they were in the privacy of Dusk’s home, Butterscotch started sobbing.

“Come on, Butters. Come sit down.” Dusk Shine led his two friends to the couch. Elusive helped the sobbing man to the couch, and sat next to him, stroking his hair as the other cried on his shoulder.

“I-I’ll go make us some tea, if that is okay.” At Elusive’s nod, Dusk Shine left for the kitchen, leaving the two men alone.

“I-I’m so stupid,” Butterscotch whimpered.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly the smartest way to express your interest in him, no,” Elusive chuckled as he continued to stroke Butterscotch’s hair. “You just took him by surprise, I am sure if you explain—”

Butterscotch shook his head violently. “No! Blitz is my oldest friend, ever since junior speedsters track camp. H-he always stood up for me. I-I was stupid to hope he felt something for me.”

“I am sure he does feel something for you, Butters,” Dusk Shine added, returning from the kitchen with a tray of tea, and an ice pack. He handed the ice pack to his friend. “Here, put this on your eye, it’ll help reduce any swelling.

“Now, as I was saying, Blitz does feel something for you, even if that is just friendship,” he continued, placing the tray on the table and pouring two cups for his guests, his own cup filled with coffee. “Blitz was probably just a little shocked over, the, ummm, you know. The kiss.”

Butterscotch looked down at the word ‘kiss’, hiding his face behind his fringe and pulling his legs up to his chest. “I’m so stupid,” he muttered, holding his legs to his chest with one arm, and the ice pack to his face with the other.

“You’re not stupid,” Elusive pulled his friend into a sidelong hug. “It’s not the best of situations, but you two have been friends for so long; the two of you will work this out, it will just take some time.”

“Oh? Good afternoon, guys.” Gleaming Shield stepped into the living room, a smile beaming across her face. “I was wondering who was making all that noise.”

“Oh, sorry sis,” Dusk Shine apologised, jumping to his feet. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay, I should be up getting ready for work anyway. Mmmm,” Gleaming Shield moaned. “That coffee smells great; got another cup for you B.S.B.F.F?”

“Oh, no. I mean, yes. I mean, I can make one! I’ll be right back.” Dusk Shine dashed back to the kitchen, rummaging around for another coffee cup and putting the kettle back on to boil. Gleaming Shield shook her head, laughing at her brother.

Turning to her unexpected houseguests, she spotted Butterscotch. “Woah, Butterscotch. Nice shiner, who gave you that?” Her expression turned suddenly serious. “Need Officer Shield to have a word with them?”

“Oh, no, it’s okay, please don’t say anything to him.” Butterscotch panicked, drawing back into his foetal position. “It was my fault, please don’t say anything to him.”

“No, Gleaming, it’s okay,” Elusive answered. “Everything is fine.”

Gleaming Shield’s expression did not lighten, even as Dusk Shine placed her coffee on the table in front of her, along with a plate of toast. “You’re certain everything is fine?”

“Yes, most definitely,” Elusive answered, evasively.

Gleaming turned her steely gaze to her little brother. The question needn’t be asked, her finely honed skills as a police officer could get any perp to talk. Or, at the very least, get her little brother to talk.

“Everything is okay, I promise,” Dusk Shine blurted out, wringing his hands nervously as he spoke. “Butterscotch and Rainbow Blitz just had a bit of a disagreement at school.”

Works every time!

“Alright, if you say so,” Gleaming Shield responded, still watching her nerve-wracked brother as she ate the toast he brought her. “So, where abouts is our darling little sister?”

“Oh, she’s over at my parents house, playing with Silver Bell,” Elusive chuckled. “He got a guitar for his birthday last month, and he’s been trying to impress the dear ever since. How one person can be so oblivious to someone’s crush on them, I do not know; but such is the cross my Silver Bell must bear.”

Gleaming Shield’s hand stopped as she reached for a second piece of toast. Dusk Shine took a long sip from his now-cold coffee. Even Butterscotch was able to turn and give Elusive a look of incredulous surprise.

“Really?” Dusk Shine asked, deadpan.

“Oh, yes!” Elusive carried on, taking a sip of his tea, oblivious to their stares. “It’s très tragique!”

Ж

“What the hell was he thinking?” Rainbow Blitz yelled after he had slammed down his third pint.

“Ah don’t rightly know, Blitz,” Applejack responded, taking a draught of his own pint.

“Damnit, Butters!” Blitz sighed. “I knew you were like that, but… just… damnit!” Blitz slammed his fist down hard onto the bar.

“Y’all knew?” Applejack asked. “Berry, don’t tell me you knew too.”

Berry Bubble nodded, poking his drink with the end of the cocktail umbrella.

“Am Ah the only one who didn’t know?” Applejack looked at his friends, unbelieving. “Y’all havin’ secret meetings behind mah back, or somethin’?”

“No one’s having secret meetings, AJ,” Blitz slumped on the bar. “I’ve suspected he was… you know, that way, for a while. I’ve caught him glancing at guys in the past, but didn’t really want to bring it up.”

Blitz sat back up, suppressing a frown. “I just didn’t think he looked at me that way.”

“Well, Ah don’t like it,” Applejack took another draught. “Ah mean, what’s ta say he won’t try that with me next, or Bubble. Or any o’ us?”

“Just because Butters liked Blitzy, doesn’t mean he’s going to jump on you,” Bubble Berry muttered, leaning on the bar, staring at his untouched drink.

“How do ya know that, Bubble? Y’all might be the next he goes pinin’ after. Ah mean, he and Elusive are all into that frou-frou stuff, what if something is goin’ on there too?”

“Excuse me,” Bubbles said, pushing himself away from the bar. “Thanks for the drink, but I think I’ll be heading home.”

Rainbow Blitz and Applejack watched as he exited the pub.

“Laying it on a bit thick there?” Blitz muttered as he turned back to his drink.

“What do ya mean?” Applejack looked down at his sullen friend.

“Butters might be…” Blitz suppressed a shudder. “…interested in me. But Bubbles is right, it doesn’t mean he’ll all of a sudden think of you the same way.”

“Ah don’t get it. Ah jus’ don’t get it.” Applejack watched Blitz in disbelief. “Y’all went crazy after Butters threw himself on ya, now yer defendin’ him? Aren’t y’all still mad at him?”

“Yeah! I am angry, okay‽ He shouldn’t have done what he did!” Rainbow Blitz got of his barstool and stepped into Applejack’s personal space. “But he is still my friend, and he’s done nothing to you, so why are you angry?”

With a few pints in him, Applejack’s temper got the better of him. “‘Cause it ain’t right! It’s not natural!”

“What?” Blitz stepped away, nearly tripping over his stool.

“Ah don’t know what they teach y’all up here in Canterlot, but it ain’t right where Ah’m from. It’s not the way Granpappy raised me!”

“Now wait just a second,” Blitz replied as he regained his footing. “I know for a fact that your cousin Jazz had something going on with Coach Glider for months! We heard all about it after practice, she wouldn’t shut up about it.”

“Don’t you dare bring my cousin inta this,” Applejack shouted, as he hit Rainbow Blitz with a solid right hook. Looking down at the man on the bar floor, he scowled. “She don’t reflect our family no more.”

Blitz wiped his chin with the back of his fist, a smear of blood from his cut lip. “Oh, that’s how you want to play this, huh?”

Ж

“What on earth were the two of you thinking?” Gleaming Shield barked as she pulled her patrol car up in front of her house. “You’re damn lucky it was me that was called out, and not another officer. I should have thrown you into lockup anyway.”

Applejack sat quietly in the back of the vehicle, even after Gleaming Shield dropped Rainbow Blitz off at the campus dormitories.

“You know, something stupid like this could jeopardise your scholarship,” she continued her rant as he stayed silent. “What would your family think if you got kicked out of school for fighting?”

“They’d understand it was ‘cause Ah was doin’ the right thing!” Applejack snapped back.

“Fighting with a friend, nearly getting arrested?” Gleaming Shield shot back. “You really think your family would be proud of you for that.”

After a short silence, Applejack responded with a gruff ‘no’.

Gleaming Shield got out of the car, and opened the door for him. “Get inside. I’ve got to get back to my patrol.” She got back into her car, then wound down the window. “But Applejack, mark my word: if you want to keep boarding under my roof, you will refrain from violence, and you will curtail your drinking.”

She didn’t wait for a response before pulling back out onto the street.