“That’s the last bag…” Fluttershy closed the trunk of the car. She went to the door, testing it to make sure she’d locked it. “Okay, it’s all locked up.”

“Alright you two,” Ascentia said, gesturing to the car, “Who’s in front and who’s in back?”

“Well, we can both always-”

“Shotgun!” Rainbow declared, cutting her off.

Crestfallen, Fluttershy sighed, “I’ll take the back.”

Ascentia lowered her sunglasses to smirk at the two of them like a movie character, “Alright, get in, you two,” she said as she got into the driver’s side door.

They did so, with Rainbow getting into the passenger seat, while Fluttershy took the back seat behind her. Anything to avoid being seen by her in the rearview mirror. Then again, the very question of why this was bothering her remained, despite not having an answer for it.

“Thank you for giving us a ride, Ascentia,” Fluttershy managed to say, making herself comfortable.

“No problem, Fluttershy,” Ascentia smiled, shifting on the inflatable ring she was sitting on and adjusting her sunglasses, “I didn’t think you’d wanna ride home with Big Mac, right?”

That much was true, the inevitable discomfort was not something Fluttershy would’ve looked forward to.

“It doesn’t matter,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Alright,” Ascentia said, “Strap yourselves in, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”

While strapping her seatbelt, Rainbow Dash hesitated, but decided to come out with it. “All right, ‘scentia, there’s something we gotta know. How in the seven circles of Tartarus did you guys figure out that Flutters and I are fucking?”

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy hissed, “Don’t be crude.”

“I didn’t, Rainbow,” Ascentia said with a smirk, “You just told me.”

“...Wait, what? No no, you said before you left that you knew and told us to be careful about sneaking around.”

“Yes, you did…” Fluttershy put in.

“I was bluffing,” Ascentia said with a shrug, “Making a joke, you know? Two best friends spending a lovely winter weekend at a cabin in the woods? One of them is gay? Tell me that’s not the plot to one of Twilight’s crappy romance novels?”

“Fine, whatever! It’s not what you think. We’re just friends with benefits, that’s all,” the prismatic-haired girl looked away with a blush.

“So that’s why you were asking about that yesterday,” Ascentia said with a nod, “To be honest, you two are cute.”

“...You think so?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh yeah,” Ascentia said, smiling at Shy (or rather, the piece of her she could see) in the rearview mirror, “And to be honest, I think it’s sweet that you guys were worried about me last night.”

“Well… of course,” Fluttershy murmured, looking up, “I… Well… it’s just that we didn’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“Twi’s not evil or anything, but ya know… We were just kinda concerned, that’s all,” Rainbow muttered.

“I understand,” Ascentia said with a smile, “But I’m glad you guys listened when I said that everything was alright. Most others just try calling the police on her.”

“It’s understandable… But yes, we can stand to take your word for it.”

Ascentia smiled and took a sharp turn, speeding down the highway as she settled into the lane, “Yeah, most people just don’t quite get it. Or rather, they don’t quite get me.”

“Fair enough, I guess,” Rainbow admitted.

Fluttershy nodded, “That’s true.”

“So, what about you two?” Ascentia asked, “You don’t have to worry about me, I’m not going to rat you out. But what are you gonna do?”

“Same things we always do. We might just fuck sometimes,” Rainbow replied.

“...Pretty much,” Fluttershy agreed.

“We’re an unusual family, aren’t we?” Ascentia asked.

Rainbow laughed a bit, “Fuck yeah we are.”

Giggling, Fluttershy nodded in agreement, “I suppose so.”

The car ran over a speedbump, making everyone hit their seats hard.

“Ahh!” Ascentia shouted, but managing to keep the car stead, “Oh fuck that hurt…”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Rainbow shrugged, “You alright?”

“Just a little sore down there,” Ascentia winced, “That’s why I’m sitting on a rectal donut.”

“R-R-Rectal… donut?!” Rainbow burst into laughter at the term, slapping her knee, “Oh my gosh, that is hilarious! Rectal donut! Ha! I love it!”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle, despite her concern, “Will you be okay?”

“Yeah, I just have some tearing back there from this afternoon,” Ascentia winced, “That’s what the donut is for. Keeps weight off my… well I think you can tell from the name.”

“Rectal donut…” Rainbow snickered. “About as funny as foxy boxes.”

“Okay,” Fluttershy said, sitting back again, “Hee… rectal donut.”

“Yeah, let’s put you through the kind of injury required to have to sit on one,” Ascentia smirked, “See if you’re still laughing.”

Fluttershy’s smile faded, “N-No… No. I don’t even like it anally…”

“Shame,” Ascentia smirked in the rearview mirror, “Twi’s good at it.”

“Bet I can get you into it, Flutters,” Rainbow purred, winking at her.

Blushing, Fluttershy looked away and didn’t respond.

“I don’t think you should, Rainbow,” Ascentia replied, “Really thin girls like Shy are more prone to hurt themselves doing that.”

“Ohhh, okay,” Rainbow whistled, “Eh, I was kidding, anyway.”

Another speed bump and Ascentia hissed, “Now the road’s just fucking with me!”

“Is there anything we can do?” Fluttershy asked with concern, cringing a bit.

“No,” Ascentia hissed, “It’s torn tissue, nothing to do but wait for it to heal.”

Opening her mouth to make a joke, Rainbow instead decided against it this time. “Hey, how about some tunes? Can’t have a little road trip without the tunes.”

“Radio’s right there,” Ascentia smiled, indicating the knobs on the dashboard.

“All right!” Immediately, Rainbow reached over to turn on the radio.

A loud, indiscernible thumping sound filled the car, as if someone had mixed gravel and scrap metal in a blender and turned it onto Frappe. Ascentia flicked the tuning switch with a growl and it flicked to a hard rock station.

“Fucking Twilight and her fucking dubstep,” she growled, “Stop touching the tuning knobs in my car!”

“Makes nails on a chalkboard sound like freaking Beethoven,” Rainbow quipped.

The song on the radio spat out the words ‘You can beat me, hurt me, rape me, kill me, but don’t touch the dials in my fucking car!’[i/]

“How about that?” Ascentia said with a grin, “This is now my song!”

“What the hell are the odds…” Rainbow snickered, “What next? ‘My wife’s a Princess, she hits me, but that’s okay because it’s awesome. I’m also a nerd’?”

Fluttershy giggled, “That was quite a coincidence.”

Ascentia flicked one station over and a country song came through, ‘But on the wind and rain a strange new perfume rose. And the lightning flashes in her eyes and he knows that she knows.’ Ascentia turned around and gave Fluttershy the most smug grin the pinkette had ever seen.

Pursing her lips, Fluttershy just looked out the window and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Boring! What else is on?” Rainbow changed stations.

Another song came on, this one being a bit softer, though quite loud, ‘You can tell me that there’s nobody else. You can tell me that there you’re home by yourself. You can look into my eyes and pretend all you want. But I know, I know your love is just a lie.’

“Oh now the radio stations are just being cruel,” Ascentia snickered, fiddling with the dial, “Let’s try the rap channel, there’s no songs about women like us there.”

‘Bitch got a penis! Bitch got a penis! Bitch got a-’

There was the sound of plastic breaking and Ascentia looked down to see the knob broken off in Rainbow’s hand, “That was a little excessive, don’t ya think?”

“Sorry, don’t know my own strength sometimes. Plus, that sort of rap kinda sucks,” Rainbow muttered, replacing it haphazardly.

“Still, that just seemed like an overreaction. I mean it’s not like you-NO!” Ascentia’s eyes snapped wide as she looked at Rainbow with an open grin resting somewhere between surprised and amused.

“I’ll break your glasses unless you shut the hell up,” Rainbow growled.

Fluttershy interjected, “Please. It’s a very sensitive topic for her.”

“So she does?” Ascentia asked.

“Yes. I have a damn dick, okay!? And no, I’m not a herm, all I got are a dick and balls! No, I didn’t have a sex change, I was born with it. No, I’m not actually a guy, I’ve got everything a woman has except a vaj. Happy now?! Good, so let’s drop it!”

“Drop it? Why? That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard!” Ascentia said in a high voice, “So you two can actually do it like… that is awesome!” Ascentia’s near shouting and wide grin almost instantly conveyed that her enthusiasm was genuine, “Can you actually have kids? Like, get a woman pregnant?”

Letting out a resigned sigh, Rainbow nodded, “Yes, I can. Doctors said I can produce viable cum for that.”

Ascentia’s jaw dropped, “You lucky mother… I am so jealous now.”

“...Why?” Rainbow wanted to know, frowning in confusion.

“Me and Twilight are both women,” Ascentia said flatly, “With female parts as well. We can’t have children, at least not naturally. You can. And you’re gay. You’ve got a situation most gay women can only dream about.”

“Oh,” Rainbow realized, glancing through the side mirror toward Fluttershy for a moment, “Yeah… I guess I see what you mean there. Not like it’ll do me any good, though.”

“Why not?” Ascentia asked.

‘Gee, I don’t know. I’m not exactly in love here, I’d probably suck as a parent, and Fluttershy’s the only woman I’d ever let carry my babies. There’s no way she’d ever go for that. Not when she can let Big fucking Mac pump her full of babies...’

“Nothing, I just… don’t really got anyone to share that with,” Rainbow muttered.

“It’s okay, Dashie,” Fluttershy said softly, “Maybe someday you will. There’s no rush.”

Ascentia looked back and forth between Rainbow and Fluttershy, then stopped on Rainbow, “Really? You said you only have a guy’s parts. You didn’t say you were as blindly naive as one too.”

“What are you talking about?” Rainbow asked.

“This car is full to the brim with sexual tension,” Ascentia said with a smirk, “And only some of it has to do with the fact that Twilight ruptured my ass so badly it’s only hanging on by one straining tendon. The two of you are like characters in those silly cartoons that Spike watches, you’re not gonna admit it, but you’ve got starry eyes for each other.”

Fluttershy blushed, unsure how to respond to that.

“Starry eyes? Come on, that’s not it. Fluttershy’s hot and I wanted her. She’s just into it ‘cause I have a dick. If I had a vaj, she’d be turned off faster than a switch.”

“Hey… that’s not true,” Fluttershy protested.

Shaking her head, Rainbow reached around to pat her knee, “I’m not offended, Flutters. It’s just the truth.”

“No!” Fluttershy protested, shaking her head harder, “Even if you had a vagina, we would still be in this!”

“Quit saying things like that, you know you just want my dick here that happens to be attached to your best friend.”

“No, you stop saying things like that…! You’re… You’re my exception!”

“You thought I had a vaj forever and you never thought of me like that. You find out I have a dick and you’re all over me.”

“Stop it!”

“Both of you shut up, you are ruining the car ride,” Ascentia said in the most unserious tone possible, “Rainbow, you don’t have a vaj, so what Fluttershy would and wouldn’t be turned on by doesn’t matter. Fluttershy, don’t give anyone that crap about ‘exceptions,’ you’re deeper in the closet than Rainbow and Twilight were. Just let it go… hey where’d all this ice come from?”

She slowed the car on the suddenly ice covered road that totally wasn’t a Disney reference, honest!

“What do you mean, I’m deep in the closet? I’m not… I like men, I’ve always liked men. I never even thought of women like that,” Fluttershy protested.

“Then explain to me why after months of you and Big Mac looking like you’re about ready to kill one another, you go away with Rainbow, boink each other’s brains out, and now you’re the happiest woman on earth?” Ascentia asked with a wide grin, she was clearly loving this, “You two have the most fucked up relationship history I’ve ever seen. AND THAT’S COMING FROM ME!” she said, lowering her sunglasses to show a black eye on her already reddened face.

“Right…” Rainbow snickered, “Come on, it’s not like that. She’s bored with Macster and needs some relief, that’s all. We’re friends with benefits, not in love.”

“Yeah, that’s how the story always starts,” Ascentia smirked, “Come talk to me at the end and tell me how that worked out. You two behave like a little girl is holding up dolls going ‘NOW KISS’!”

Fluttershy blushed all the more, squeaking, “But… But she’s right. We’re friends, but we’re not in love with each other. We just… happened to enjoy the benefits together… Rainbow is gay, but she doesn’t love me.”

“Yeah, sure she doesn’t,” Ascentia smirked, lightly patting Rainbow’s cheek, “I’m telling you guys. In a few weeks, Mac will be out of the picture, and you two will be like star crossed lovers proclaiming your ever undying adoration for each other on cliffs at sunset. And when that happens, I want you both to know that I fucking called it!”

“Jeez….” Rainbow crinkled her nose, “Want to throw in some Harlequin bullshit while you’re at it? Not gonna happen! I’m not gonna say I’m in love! ‘Cause I’m not!”

“Tell me, did you do a lot of intimate snuggling during your weekend, or was it just Wham Bam Thank you ma’am?”

“Well, duh. Fluttershy’s still kinda my best friend here and we cuddle sometimes. This time was just kinda more different,” Rainbow shrugged, “Plus, she wanted to and I wasn’t gonna say no. It’s also kinda hard to make it like a one-night stand, anyway.”

Fluttershy squirmed in her seat, “It’s true, we did cuddle a lot…”

“Yeah, me and Twi did a lot of snuggling when we were just ‘friends with benefits,’” Ascentia smirked, “Now look at us.”

“Exactly, look at you, you look like you were hit by a truck!” Rainbow protested.

“My point is, we’re married and we love eachother very much,” Ascentia replied, “And you’re about a kilometer behind us on the same trail.”

“I’m turning the radio back on,” Rainbow mumbled, doing so.

‘When ya gonna own up that you’ve got got got it bad? No chance, no way, I won’t say it, no no.’

“Fool, this is the radio that messes with everyone!” Ascentia said heartily, “MUA HA HA HA HA HA!”

The car fell silent.

“....Never...do that...again…”

They pulled up in Ponyville at Fluttershy’s cottage, where Twilight was already waiting as Ascentia was driving her down to meet Zecora afterward.

“Well there you girls are!” Twilight greeted them, coming to help with the bags, “Good trip?”

“Yeah, it was great,” Ascentia smiled, “We hit all kinds of bumps, played with the radio, these two are in love and won’t admit it. All in all a good trip.”

“We’re not in love!”

“No we’re not…”

Twilight giggled, “So they actually fell for your bluff? I knew it.”

“Yeah, and they’re in deep denial,” Ascentia laughed, “They’re so deep in denial that Egypt is settling around them.”

“We can still hear you!” Rainbow yelled out.

“Oh, it’s about time. I’ve seen those hungry bedroom eyes Rainbow keeps shooting Fluttershy when she’s not looking,” Twilight giggled.

“Yeah, they’re even doing that ‘let’s be all intimate’ thing that we did,” Ascentia grinned.

Twilight hopped up and down, clapping, “Oooh! They’ll end up just like us!”

Ascentia looked at her from the top of her sunglasses, flashing her black eye to Twilight.

“Well, maybe not exactly like us, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!” she said, smacking her. “Besides, I’d be terrified if that were to happen.”

“Oh god, Fluttershy wouldn’t survive that,” Ascentia chuckled, “Poor girl would break.”

“Rainbow talks big, but I know she’d never-”

“HEY! If you keep saying stuff like that, I’m coming over there!”

Twilight snickered, “Okay, let’s not say things like that anymore. Let’s leave them alone together, shall we?”

Twilight stepped over to the car, while Ascentia mouthed ‘Bow Chika Wow Wow’ to the two of them.

“I saw that,” Twilight called out, “Just for that, you’re getting another dose of medicine.”

“Oh come on! I’ve been sitting on a donut for hours from the last time!” Ascentia complained, turning back, “Thanks a lot guys!”

“Hey, it was your fault!” Rainbow called back, “You were asking for it!”

The three of them all turned to give Rainbow incredulous looks.

“Too far, Rainbow,” Twilight said, making a tutting noise.

“Fine, whatever! I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Um… maybe we should all just calm down and not get so over-excited…”

“Alright, cya later guys!” Ascentia grinned, jumping into the car and starting the engine, “Love you guys!”

Blowing a raspberry, Rainbow gave them both the finger.

“Come on, Dashie, let’s go inside,” Fluttershy took her hand and led her into the cottage, closing the door. She sighed heavily, shaking her head, “I can’t believe they think we’re in love… Where are they getting that idea?”

“I have no idea!” Rainbow said, flopping down into the chair, “I think all those hands to the face has rattled Ascentia’s brains. I wouldn’t be taking relationship advice from a woman who’s okay with her wife beating her to within an inch of her life.”

“Probably… Because they’ve had a friends with benefits relationship that ended in… well, what they feel is love, that we’ll have the same thing happen?” Fluttershy sat down on the couch, taking off her coat, “Come on… no two cases happen the same way. I don’t get it… We know how we feel… D-Don’t get me wrong, this weekend was wonderful and I enjoyed what we did, all of it… But why does it mean we’re in love? Can’t friends just enjoy cuddling and making love?”

The phone rang and Rainbow picked it up, “Hello?”

“SHE JUST CALLED IT MAKING LOVE! CLUE IN!”

“HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS!” Rainbow yelled into the phone and slamming it down, “There’s no law saying we can’t. Those two are just out of their mind. As if we didn’t already know.”

Fluttershy shivered, but then got up and closed the curtains everywhere, “They really… have no idea, do they… Come now… I know someone who has two girlfriends. They don’t love each other, but they sometimes make love with one another. So… why is it so far fetched that we’re kind of like that too? Oh… it doesn’t matter. We know what’s going on,” she trotted back over, pondered, then sat on Rainbow’s lap.

Rainbow shifted against the couch cushions, “Why does this mushroom pillow have eyes?”

“Oh, it’s adorable, isn’t it? They also come in clouds and hills. Clouds have eyes and the hills have eyes,” Fluttershy giggled. She paused a moment, “...That last part sounded so sinister out of context.”

“So… why does it have eyes?” Rainbow asked.

“Because it loves you,” Fluttershy picked it up, playfully smooshing her face with it.

“Aw, I love you too, creepy mushroom pillow!” Rainbow grinned, hugging the pillow.

Fluttershy laughed heartily, hugging her and the pillow, “Yay! One big happy family!”

“So we’re married and have a mutant fungus baby?” Rainbow asked.

“Yes. Yes we are,” Fluttershy quipped.

“I’d like to think I produce better children than this,” Rainbow smirked, “It’s cute, but like Quasimodo cute.”

Fluttershy poked her nose, “Oh, I bet you could produce quite the offspring.”

Rainbow smirked, “Wanna find out, Flutterbaby?”

“Bring it on…” Fluttershy licked her nose.

Rainbow reached around and pulled at Fluttershy’s pants, shifting her so she was straddling her lap and biting at the neckline of her shirt. Fluttershy purred sensually, bringing her hands up Rainbow’s sweater and caressing the soft skin underneath. Rainbow groaned as she continued to wrestle with Fluttershy’s pants, realizing she wasn’t going to get anywhere with her sitting on top of her.

Realizing her plight, Fluttershy angled herself enough to pull down her pants, letting them fall to the floor.

“Much better,” Rainbow grinned as she reached between them and slid her jeans down to her thighs, freeing her cock and stroking it, “How do you wanna do me this time?”

“Oh, Dashie, I picked last time… Don’t you want a say?” Fluttershy cooed, reaching down to stroke it along with her.

“Nah, as long as I get to fuck something attached to you, I’m good,” Rainbow smirked, “That sounded a lot less slimy in my head.”

Fluttershy giggled, kissing her face, “I just want you to lie me down and make sweet love to me…”

Rainbow turned her and pushed her onto her back over the sofa, settling herself between her legs. Smiling, she leaned down and locked lips with the blushing pinkette, lining herself up with her sweetly warm folds.

A day after returning from the weekend getaway, Fluttershy decided to go pay a visit to Sweet Apple Acres. It had been some time, so she thought to at least go and see the family for a while, if for nothing else than to at least see Apple Bloom.

Upon arriving, Applejack and Big Mac were shoveling around the barn to gain access to it, while Granny Smith was… being Granny Smith. Amused, Fluttershy went into the house to make sure to have hot chocolate prepared once they were finished. The moment she had her coat off, a very excited and happy Apple Bloom came running in to hug her.

“Fluttershy!” she squealed, “You’re back!”

Fluttershy smiled as she patted Apple Bloom’s head, “I take it you’re happy to see me?”

She nodded, pulling her into the kitchen, “How was the trip? Did you and Rainbow have fun?”

‘Oh, yes… we had fun all right…’ Fluttershy thought, clearing her throat, “Yes, yes we did. We had a lovely time.”

Apple Bloom beamed and hugged her again, nuzzling her sweater. The preteen had grown on Fluttershy as she spent more time around the Apple Family, and she was arguably her favorite of the four Apples.

“How about you, sweetheart?” Fluttershy asked, gently ruffling the bow on her head, “How’ve you been?”

Apple Bloom suddenly lost a little of her enthusiasm, “Um… well actually there was something that happened a few days ago… I was wonderin’ if you could help me?”

Nodding, Fluttershy sat her down on a chair at the table, then took a seat as well, “Of course. Tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom explained, “She… she likes… ya know… girls.”

“Oh, does she?” Fluttershy said curiously. When Apple Bloom nodded, she pondered for a second, “All right, so she likes girls. What seems to be the matter?”

“Well, she also likes… me,” Apple Bloom said, looking down, “She asked if I’d go out with her…”

“I see…” Fluttershy murmured, then gently lifted her gaze up to meet her own, “And what did you tell her?”

“I kinda just ran away,” Apple Bloom said, looking ashamed with herself, “I saw her cryin’ in class later…”

Fluttershy frowned slightly, then sighed, “Well, I can’t say I blame her. That’s even worse than rejection. I think you made her believe that you don’t even like her and don’t want to be friends. It takes a lot of guts to tell someone how you feel… So, I think what you need to do, first and foremost, is to talk to her. To let her know you’re still her friend.”

Apple Bloom’s hand shook a little, “Yeah but… what do I do about… her likin’ me?”

“How do you think you feel about her?” Fluttershy queried.

“I dunno,” Apple Bloom replied, still looking at her hands.

Thinking for a few moments, Fluttershy had an idea, “Well, then let me ask you a couple of questions. You two are best friends, right?”

“Yeah, of course!”

“Okay. Second, are you willing to be kind if she does make you upset?”

“Yeah, absolutely.”

“All right. Third, are you willing to take care of her, even if you get absolutely nothing out of it?”

“Ya mean like, if she’s sick?” Apple Bloom asked.

Fluttershy nodded, “Yes, in example.”

“Well, yeah,” she said, “Why wouldn’t I?”

Smiling, Fluttershy went on, “Exactly. Next, are you willing to communicate with her openly and honestly?”

“We already do that,” Apple Bloom smiled.

“That’s good, then. All right, then finally, are you willing to apologize if you ever somehow mess up on the first four?”

She nodded with a bright smile.

For added effect, Fluttershy clapped her hands and smiled, “Well, there’s your answer, Apple Bloom!”

Now she just looked confused, “Huh?”

“You just answered yes to all those questions. It’s a very strong indication that you feel the same way, or are at least willing to give her a chance, sweetheart,” Fluttershy said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “As I said, you do have to let her know you’re sorry for running away like that. Beyond that… you two just need to talk about this.”

“Okay,” she said, hugging her again, “Should I go right now?”

Fluttershy hugged her back, gently stroking her hair, “Sooner rather than later, but you can of course go see her when you’re ready.”

Apple Bloom let go of her and ran off to the living room just as Applejack was coming in.

“Hey, what are you two gabbin’ about?” she asked with a smile.

“Sex,” Apple Bloom said, running past her into the living room.

Applejack turned to Fluttershy with a bewildered look, “You were talkin’ to mah kid sister about sex?”

“No! No no, not at all. She was just asking for some advice,” Fluttershy said quickly, her cheeks heating up.

Applejack sat down at the table, eyeing her, “Advice about what?”

“Oh… She didn’t tell you?” Fluttershy asked. She sat back down as well, “Well, it turns out that Sweetie Belle has a crush on her. Apple Bloom was shocked and a little confused about what to do. So I talked to her a little bit about it, now she’s going to go see her and sort this out.”

Applejack’s eyes shot open as she glanced around, “Fluttershy! I know you mean well, but we can’t have that sort of thing around Granny Smith. Old gal’s got ‘great-grandkids’ fever, and… well I think you can do the rest of the math yourself!”

“I know, I know!” Fluttershy whispered, “But I’m not about to tell her she should hold back from what she truly wants. Look… I know you respect your grandmother’s wish for that, I really do. But that doesn’t mean you all have to put your lives on hold, especially if you’re not… ready or willing to go through with that… I-I mean… it is still...your choices…”

“Look Shy, that would make sense if Granny was still in her 30’s or 40’s,” Applejack explained, “But she’s pushin’ 90, and I just want to keep her as happy as I can since she’s not gonna be around much longer.”

“Well… I-I won’t tell you guys what to do… All I can say… is to appreciate what you do have.”

“I know, Fluttershy,” Applejack smiled, hugging her friend, “I gotta get back to plowin’ so you stay outta trouble, ya hear?”

Fluttershy hugged her as well, “I will, Applejack. You be careful out there, I’ve heard reports of black ice over the area.”

“Ugh, great, just what we need,” Applejack said sarcastically, getting back up and trudging out the door as Apple Bloom stuck her head into the kitchen.

“Hey Shy, Sweetie Belle’s comin’ over!” she called out, “Can you make some hot chocolate for when she gets here? It’s freezin’ outside.”

Fluttershy nodded and smiled, “Of course, Apple Bloom. I’ll make sure she’ll be nice and cozy when she gets here.”

“Thanks, Shy!” she smiled, ducking back into the living room.

Smiling to herself, Fluttershy went over to the stove and proceeded to prepare some hot chocolate. So far, it had been a great day. A good start to a whole new week. The little getaway really did her a lot better than expected. While it was a whole new experience to see through, it did lift her spirits in some ways.

‘Who knows, maybe now that I feel better, we can work things out a bit more…’ She thought. ‘We’ll just have to get through our friends making silly wisecracks. I mean, really, in love? Rainbow and I? That’s just silly. If we actually sat down and answered those questions I just asked Apple Bloom, I bet we’d come up too short.’

Shy sat back in her chair, clutching a mug of hot chocolate. Sweetie Belle had arrived a half an hour ago, her face red from the cold as Shy handed her a mug and sent her up to Apple Bloom’s room. She leaned back comfortably, the warmth of the mug filling her hands as she took careful sips.

“Mmmm…” Fluttershy murmured contently to herself, closing her eyes. “It certainly doesn’t get better than this…”

In her pocket, her phone went off. She placed her mug down, then took out her phone and checked to see a text message. Fluttershy giggled, smiling upon seeing it was from Rainbow Dash. Opening the text, she blushed and laughed a bit. It wasn’t just a text, it was a sext.

‘You naughty girl. Be careful about sexting me, Dashie. ;)’ Fluttershy wrote back, sending the text.

“What are you giggling about?” Big Mac asked as he came into the living room, smiling at her.

“Oh, nothing!” Fluttershy closed her phone and pocketed it, “I just saw a funny text, that’s all.”

“You cityfolk and your technology,” Big Mac smirked. Playing up the “Techno-blind hick” gimmick was something he grew a fondness for, something made all the more hilarious by the fact he rebuilt entire computers in his spare time, “Hey, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have been up there for an awfully long time. Have you been to check on them?”

“Not in the past while…” Fluttershy sipped her hot chocolate again, then stood up, “I could go see if they’re all right. Maybe they need more hot chocolate, anyway.”

Climbing the stairs, she knocked on Apple Bloom’s door, then opened it before the girls inside could respond, “Apple Bloom? Do you two want any more-”

She stopped when she saw the two girls asleep on the sofa that Apple Bloom had dragged in when she was nine. Leaning against each other, their heads hanging at odd angles from sitting up in their sleep. Fluttershy smiled and moved closer to lay a blanket over them when she saw something glint out of the corner of her eye. Looking closer, she saw lip gloss on Apple Bloom’s mouth. The same color and shade that Sweetie Belle was wearing properly.

Putting a hand over her heart and giving a silent grin, Fluttershy wrapped the two of them up and kissed Apple Bloom’s forehead, taking their empty mugs and closing the door as she left.

“Those two are so cute!” she whispered, trying to contain a Fluttergasm.

Coming back downstairs, placing the mugs into the dishwasher, Fluttershy returned to the living room.

“They’re fine. They’re just taking a nap right now. Poor girls, they must be so tuckered out.”

“From what? What could they possibly have been doin’ up there?” Big Mac chuckled.

‘Making out like hungry wolves?’ the little shipper in Fluttershy said, “I don’t know. Kids have a lot to do, and Apple Bloom’s a farmer.” She sat down on the couch, wrapping her sweater around her shoulders.

“Well whatever tuckered them out, it sounds cute,” he smiled, “And hey, maybe those two will become more than friends,” he chuckled, flipping the page of his book.

Fluttershy looked toward him in surprise, then laughed a bit, “You never know what could happen.”

“I doubt it,” Big Mac smiled, “Apple Bloom’s been in the closet so long she’s barricaded herself in there.”

“Like I said, you never know…” Fluttershy winked, taking her hot chocolate and sipping it.

Big Mac laughed, “I guess. Oh, I heard the Princess came to see you while you were at the cabin? How did that go?”

‘Never… Again...ever!’

“Oh, fine. We did get snowed in overnight, but otherwise everything went just fine,” Fluttershy replied with as much nonchalance as she could manage.

“I’d been hearin’ rumors from people like Rarity,” Big Mac said tentatively, “Are… are they true?”

“...What kind of rumours?” Fluttershy asked, worry etching into her tone.

“Ya know,” Big Mac slapped his hand against the other a few times.

“Oh! Oh… Well…” Fluttershy cleared her throat, “They were talking to us about all of that and shed some light on the situation. All I’m going to say is that it’s perfectly...consensual. It may be unorthodox and even a bit unnerving, but we realize we have no right to judge or to try to break things apart. It’s like kinky BDSM… except further than that…”

“Okay but… what if someone gets seriously hurt?” Big Mac asked, “Consensual or not, it’s still dangerous. Some people’ve been sayin’ they’ve seen the poor girl limpin’ around town.”

“That is true… She does get hurt sometimes because of it all. But she’s fine with it, she accepts it. Um… It really isn’t my place to say all of that, but it’s just what they do..”

Big Mac looked mortified, “How could she do that? How can you be so… violent against someone you love. I never expected cute little Twilight Sparkle to be that way.”

“Believe me, I… I don’t exactly like it, either…” Fluttershy murmured, shaking her head. “I think what they do behind closed doors is no one else’s business… but it’s unsettling. I-I certainly can’t imagine doing that to anyone…”

“Do you ever think that Ascentia’s lying?” Big Mac asked, “That she’s just covering for Twilight out of fear?”

“Um… Well, we know that they truly do love each other, that much is true. Ascentia actually does have a semblance of Stockholm Syndrome.”

“What about Twilight?” Big Mac asked, “Why does she do this to her?”

“It started with Twilight getting abusive due to stress,” she explained, placing down her mug. “At first, it was actual domestic abuse. The Royal Guard caught her and took her away… but Ascentia didn’t press charges. She didn’t want her locked away because of it. So after that, it became a bit of a S&M game with them… A way to relieve stress, and the fact that Ascentia’s a bit of a masochist. I-I know… it scared me, too. It even made me wonder if she’d ever extend that to us…” Fluttershy shook a bit, “So unless Ascentia presses charges, there’s nothing that can be done.”

Big Mac thought for a moment, his urge to engage in town gossip like Granny Smith getting the better of him, “How bad did she look?”

“I didn’t get the reports or see them, but according to them, she did look really bad at the time.”

“What about when she and Twilight came over?” Big Mac asked.

Fluttershy bit her lip, “By the next morning… Ascentia had a black eye and was limping.”

Big Mac looked horrified, “That poor girl…”

“I know…”

“Didn’t she drive you home yesterday?” Big Mac asked, “How was she then?”

Shaking her head, Fluttershy finished her hot chocolate and placed her mug down on the coffee table. “Black eye and torn tendons in her posterior.”

Big Mac winced, “That’s just… how can anyone actually like that kind of thing?”

“...I don’t know, but… All I can say is that I guess we all like things that can be considered strange to others. This might be extreme, but I suppose it is the same sort of principle.”

“This is different, Shy. That girl’s gonna get herself killed if this keeps up,” Big Mac scowled.

Fluttershy shook her head, placing her hand on his shoulder, “We just… need to stay out of it unless Ascentia actually asks any of us for help. That’s all we can do.”

“I guess,” he said, pulling her into his lap and hugging her, “Anyway, I’m glad you’re home, sweetheart.”

A tinge of discomfort struck Fluttershy as she squirmed ever slightly, but otherwise didn’t make an attempt to move away. “...Yeah, me too.”

Big Mac kissed along her neck, inhaling the scent of her hair, “I love you, Fluttershy.”

“Love you too…” Fluttershy half-mumbled. For whatever reason, the words felt a little strange leaving her mouth. As if she didn’t really want to say them. But why not? It wasn’t as if they said it with every sentence and she was sick of hearing it. The term was endearing and sweet, meant to be just so. But why was it bothering her all of a sudden?

Nuzzling her a little, he leaned in and whispered into her ear, “You want to go upstairs, sweetheart?”

Giving a little shrug, Fluttershy nodded, “Okay. We can do that.”

Smiling, he stood up and lifted her bridal-style, carrying her up the stairs and closing his bedroom door behind them. Next Chapter: Only Got One Good Arm Estimated time remaining: 10 Hours, 45 Minutes