//------------------------------//
// An Opportunity 
// Story: Excuses... Excuses... 
// by pertelote345 
//------------------------------//

I bit my lip. "Spike... I'm bisexual."

The dragon blinked. "Yeah, I know."

"What!?"

He held up his claws defensively. "Twilight, you and Applejack have been all over each other recently and I think it's great. You're coming out of your shell, more power to you two or whatever."

I let out that breath I'd been holding. Okay, so coming out to Spike was done with. Now for the rest.

"Thank you Spike. Can... Can you help me make a list? I'm trying to... You know, come out, but I'm not sure who I should tell and who doesn't need explicit notification and can just learn about it in casual conversation."

Spike nodded, producing a quill and a sheaf of parchment. "Okay, first question: why not have Pinkie Pie throw a coming out party for you? That'd get it all over the place."

I grimaced. "I'm... Still a little nervous about this, I guess. Maybe I'll try something like that after I'm a bit more comfortable."

Spike wrote a note on that and looked up at me. "Next Question: Do you really need to 'come out' come out? I'm not saying hide it, but just sort of let people know if they ask or bump into you with AJ. I mean, no offense, but you liking mares isn't exactly the first thing I'd mention when I met someone."

"Why would that be offensive?" I asked. 

Spike shrugged. "I dunno, all this LGBT stuff get's really confusing."

I sighed. "I'll say." I slumped down into the couch. "I just wanted to tell Cadence and Shining about how much fun I've been having with Applejack. I mean... Ugh!" I threw up my hooves. "I still don't even know if it's too early to say something about her... I mean, we had one date!"

Spike climbed up next to me. "I mean, let's be honest here. You've been tight with AJ for a long, long time. I dunno much about romance, but I think the whole point of dating someone is to get to know them and... You kinda know AJ. Maybe the fact that you already have lots of feelings for her is because you've always had those feelings."

That... actually made sense. I smiled. "Where did you get so wise?"

He smirked. "I may have studied under an expert in interpersonal relationships."

I snorted. "Okay then, my apprentice, take a letter."

He produced a quill and parchment and I cleared my throat. "Dear Shining Armor..."


#


I had to admit, as I hauled those weeds out I felt kind of restless.

I mean, it felt wrong to just leave Twilight on her lonesome when she was clearly worried but... I don't know. It's not like I hadn't gone through what she'd gone through. It was just... 

I sighed. I couldn't shake the feeling I was bringing her down. I mean, how much easier would her life be if she'd fallen for a boy...? Or a cis mare... Or anyone who wasn't some orphan dirt farmer that had to spend her days hauling weeds to make ends meet.

"Why the frown AJ?" Pinkie asked.

"Gyah!!!" I started, nearly flipping my cart over. "Pinkie! What have I told you about sneaking up on ponies!"

Pinkie looked like I'd hit her. "I didn't sneak up... I walked up right next to you and you didn't see."

I winced. Oh. I tried to compose myself. "Sorry Pinkie, I just... I guess I'm all wrapped up in my own noggin today."

Pinkie looked worried. "You didn't seem very happy. Is everything okay in there?" She patted my head.

I nodded. "Yeah! Well... I guess it ain't perfect. I mean, it's not really bad it's just... I guess I just need to get over some stuff."

The pink pony smiled. "Well then, I have just the thing to cheer you up!" She pulled an envelope.

I blinked. "What? What's this?" I opened it up. Inside was a check from the cakes... For a hundred and twenty seven bits.

My eyes widened. 

"It's your cut of the profits from that pie you invented!" The Pink mare said with a giggle.

I sputtered. "Bwuh? But- How! This is way too much!"

She beamed. "Well, I could tell you that the ponies at sugar cube corner really like new things, or that the hype around seeing a Sweet Apple Acres recipe on our shelves drew a bunch of new ponies in, but honestly." She looked around, then leaned in close and whispered in my ear. "It's because it was super delicious!"

I... I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I'd earned that much money in just a few days? Well, I mean I'd have to pay for the apples, but I'd still have over a hundred bits left!

I... I had no idea what to say.

Pinkie chuckled. "You know, the Cakes would love it if you could come up with more concoctions. They said the same deal would apply, but honestly I think you could ask for a better cut."

I shook my head. "Pinkie... I'd love to come down and have some more fun in the kitchen with y'all, but I don't even know what we'd do with this many bits showing up out of nowhere... I mean, I guess I could buy a new harness or two."

Pinkie looked like she had a bad taste in her mouth. "AJ, can I ask you for a favor?"

I blinked. "Uh... Sure, what?"

She gestured to the sky. "Take those bits and do something for you for once. I don't know, fix up your banjo, buy a huge cake, just..." She sighed. "I get the sense that you want to be happier than you used to be. Sometimes that takes a Liiiiittle bit of an investment in yourself."

I winced. "Pinkie, the deal was that Sweet Apple Acres would get 45% of the profits, not me. This stuff is all going to Granny."

"Aw quit bein' fussy youngun'." Came a voice.

To my extreme surprise Granny had wandered over, wearing a sun-hat and a grin on her face. 

I really needed to work on my situational awareness.

Granny took a look at the check and whistled. "Not bad, youngun', not bad."

I smiled. "Thanks Granny."

"Still I think your cousin has the right idea." She passed the check back to me.

I stared at her. "But, Granny! Y'all told me you liked the deal I worked out as is!"

She snorted. "Yup, everything except that my grown granddaughter is runnin' around without any spending bits. Y'all are the one who earned that money Applejack. 'Taint right for me to snatch it away."

Okay, now I was plum lost. "Granny, I earn money for the farm all the time! We're a family business, it's how we keep afloat!"

She shook her head. "This ain't the same and y'all know it. This money didn't come off no tree of mine. It's your talent that made that pie recipe AJ, not me. If it helps, spend it on that marefriend of yours; heaven knows I owe her an apology."

I bit my lip. I mean... It would be nice to take Twilight out on a real date. "If ya'll really feel that way, I guess I could take like ten percent of this sort of thing."

Granny balked. "Youngun y'all did the work! If anything I'm the one who should be taking ten percent."

I narrowed my eyes. "Well too bad Granny, because I won't be givin' ya less than seventy five percent."

"Twenty five percent!" She returned.

I grit my teeth. "Fifty-fifty. Final offer!"

"Ugh!" Granny threw her hooves up. "Fine! Bleed me... Wait... What's the opposite of bleedin' someone dry?"

I blinked. "Ah... I don't rightly know."

Granny sighed. "Well that don't matter. From now on we'll split those checks down the middle if it makes ya feel better." She rubbed at her side. "Now if ya don't mind, all that hagglin' gave me a crick in my back." She turned tail and wandered off. "I swear, y'all need to unwind somethin' fierce..."

I looked down at the check. I guess I'd have sixty three fifty to spend... Not that I had a clue what to do with it. I let out a breath and turned to Pinkie. "Say, Pinks do you..."

I stared. Pinkie had a grin on her face so large I thought her head was gonna fly right off. Suddenly she grabbed my shoulders. "YOU HAVE A MAREFRIEND OH MY GOSH TELL ME EVERYTHING!!!"