Chapter 25: Prevention
Another day tending the stall, another afternoon spent heaving wistful sighs. Carrot Top wasn’t delusional. She knew that, on the whole, her reputation for being loose was well known, and largely frowned upon. Especially after her little ploy to try and bring Silver back into the dating market, she had found herself with even fewer ponies that would treat her kindly, and thus, she found herself whittling a carrot for no particular reason save that it gave her something to do while her mind roamed. Pausing with a paring knife halfway down the carrot, she saw white out of the corner of her eyes and noticed a very dejected looking unicorn making her way slowly towards home.
Maybe... I’ve been looking in the wrong places. It’s a long shot, but maybe... maybe that’s what I need? I still haven’t found... that special somepony yet. It was foolish, she knew, to hope that her search for somepony she could commit to would be ended so easily, and she pushed it away, but as the day drew on, she found it harder and harder to stop thinking about the white unicorn with an incredibly alluring, if not over-styled, mane. After a time, she put up the closed sign early, finished carving the carrot she had been working on, stowed the rest of her produce, and set out for the boutique.
Much like movies, popcorn, Fluttershy, beds, and every other wonderful thing Whisper had discovered, with the exception of the microwave, he found himself enjoying this “picnic” thing. Certainly, Fluttershy’s was much calmer than Storm’s, but it was nice to just sit back, relax, and enjoy some time away his comfortable cage known as a cottage. The meal was nothing fancy, consisting of some baked goods, fruit, and some salad, but his two new friends and the giggling mare beside him is what made the experience worthwhile. Eventually, one thing led to another and Whisper found himself alone with Storm as the two mares had a splashing contest which, while slightly entertaining, seemed far more fascinating for the black pegasus than it was for the unlearned unicorn.
“Hey, Storm? I um... have some questions.” Interrupted from his daydream of a day on a secluded beach in a land of eternal summer with his mare, Storm shed such thoughts with slight reluctance and gave Whisper his attention.
“What would you like to know?”
“A lot. Like, um... well, why shouldn’t my nose go there?” he asked, pointing to make sure he was clear.
“Whisper, that’s...” he paused, sifting through what he knew of the stallion, which really wasn’t much. He’s lived in the wild away from other ponies, and thus has no idea about his body or anything? I’d think that he’d have at least some knowledge... “So, you really don’t know anything about rolling in the hay?”
“Rolling in the hay? Is that the same as wrestling?”
He really doesn’t. Man... should I even try to explain it? It then occurred to him that if anything happened to Fluttershy on account of his innocence, and it were somehow revealed that he had the opportunity to rectify the problem before it began, he would likely have need of breaking the sound barrier to save his own hide. “Wrestling, rolling in the hay, taking a mare to bed; you can call it by a lot of things. More importantly, I’m sure you have questions, right?” Whisper nodded, a whole list at the ready. “Ask away, and I’ll do my best.” It was time to start marking them off.
“Whenever I kiss Fluttershy, my horn starts glowing and it feels all funny. Why is that?”
Wow, he doesn't mess around, does he. What am I getting myself into... “I’m no unicorn, so I don’t know exactly how it works, but basically, having your horn touched is supposed to feel really good. And, if it’s touched enough, it makes a mess. A gooey, tasty mess.”
Tasty? My horn makes food? That’s strange... “So... what, like honey comes out, or something?”
“It’s like honey, yeah. But you’re never supposed to eat it yourself. I hear that’s considered really gross among unicorns, like eating your own... you know...” No, you clearly don’t. I’m not touching that until he asks, ‘cause that’s just...
“How come I grow?”
Oh, please tell me he’s not... “Um... how do you mean?” Before answering the inquiry, Whisper trotted down into the water, causing an immediate cessation of all fluid based hostilities, and silently begged Fluttershy for a kiss. After a few seconds of hesitation, she gently connected their muzzles, and Rainbow Dash seized her opportunity to strike as Whisper left, sloshing a rather large wave at the already soaked mare. Storm respectfully averted his gaze as Whisper returned, flopped onto his back, and spread his legs wide. Yeah, he totally was talking about that... I really am a dunce. If Rainbow Dash lo...
“Storm? What the hay are you making Whisper do?” Dash called out, scowling at her mischievous husband who she could totally see pulling something like that for kicks.
“I’m not making him do anything! He was just asking... a strange question.” Dash would have replied, but a blatant act of aggression landed a hoofful of water on her muzzle, and she wasn’t about to retreat an inch. “Whisper, please, sit back up and stop... showing me that.” Whisper dutifully sat up, awaiting an answer. I would never... have expected myself to be giving this kind of discussion to anypony. Cerulean, you so owe me big later. “That, my fellow stallion, was an erection.” All splashing came to a halt as both mares stared at Storm, who found himself blushing in Whisper’s stead. “Yeah, I said erection. Get over it!” Heaving a sigh as the two began conversing quietly amongst themselves, Storm followed through with the details about why and what for.
Whisper couldn’t explain it. Every word Storm said sounded incredibly strange, almost unnatural, and yet, it filled him with an even more unnerving sense of wonder, so much so that his horn started glowing without Fluttershy’s help. He saw the mare in a new light as she plopped down beside him, dripping wet and still chuckling softly from some good, clean fun; a stark contrast to the stallion’s conversation on all things steamy.
“Um, Whisper? Your horn is, well...”
“Uh huh...”
“Whisper, are you ok?”
“I... think so?”
“What did Storm tell you?” Fluttershy pressed, glancing over at the stallion who offered her a sheepish grin before whispering something about “getting the hay out of here” to Rainbow Dash. Whisper provided them with a nice opportunity, and wanting to return to their time alone, the two quietly took off as Fluttershy’s stallion unashamedly answered her question.
“Oh, just, um... how to make horn honey and have sex and stuff. Oh! I also know how... Fluttershy?” She had known the day would come, she just didn’t expect to suddenly have it dumped on her that Whisper was now, in theory, an educated stallion. Fluttershy had to wonder just how many more sudden shocks her mind could take before she began to display Pinkie-like symptoms. First she walks in on her best friend and husband getting ready to enjoy themselves in the most natural of ways, then she jumps right into the middle of it, only to follow up with being left alone with a stallion she has feelings for far beyond a simple crush. A stallion that, up until just a few moments ago, had no idea how to actually engage in physical intimacy, but as he frantically waved a hoof in front of her face to try and get her attention, she found herself suddenly quite flushed, realizing their position and worried that he may try to put his new knowledge into practice.
“Whisper? Did... Storm tell you anything about, you know, boundaries?”
“Boundaries? What are those? He just told me where to put my...” Fluttershy’s blush grew deeper, prompting a swift covering of her face by both hair and hoof. It only took a few moments of reading what Whisper sent to realize that, while Storm had been great on the technicals of the basics, he had, unfortunately, left out any information pertaining to the social and moral aspects of nighttime exercise. As Whisper’s excited recounting drew to a close, Fluttershy let out yet another sigh and looked up at her beaming stallion. While what had been said was more than enough on the subject for her, she knew that she would have to suffer through a little bit more.
“Come on, Whisper. Storm didn’t tell you everything you need to know.” With some regret, she packed up the remnants of their picnic, led them back home where they deposited the basket, and made their way towards town. Whisper found himself once again trotting behind Fluttershy, eyes screwed shut with a mouth full of tail. It was a little more than slightly uncomfortable, making his way through town during the daytime, but Fluttershy’s constant support and closeness kept the fear from taking over while he allowed himself to be led to someplace he thought was safe. But as he opened his eyes at her hoofbeats on a door, one look showed him he was not at the library, as expected, but someplace completely new. Fluttershy let out a soft grunt as he all but glued himself to her side, trembling slightly and feeling very trapped.
“Whisper, shhh... this is just Rainbow Dash and Storm’s house. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Oh, except maybe...” Now, had it been during the evening when less ponies were about, Whisper’s obvious course of action would have been to make himself scarce and chance the darkened streets, but with the market stalls in view and no fewer than twenty ponies in his immediate vicinity, he could do little more than fervently hope he didn’t have an accident as Quakehoof answered the door. “Um... oh dear...”
“Scared. Very, very scared, Fluttershy! He’s... he’s even bigger than Storm! He’s the biggest pony in Equestria, isn’t he? No, this is mean, Fluttershy! I wasn’t ready for this!” Quakehoof, upon seeing the stallion have a silent meltdown and sink to his haunches, stomped away as quietly as his frame would allow, leaving the door open as an invitation should the stallion choose. Thankful for his discretion, Fluttershy tried to ease Whisper’s misgivings, which ended up taking the better part of ten minutes and weren’t ended by herself, but the telltale babbling of Ponyville’s cheeriest foal.
“Fluttershy, what was that?”
“That was Storm’s baby sister. Would you like to see?”
Baby? “Like... the ones Rainbow Dash has in her tummy?”
“Yes, just like Rainbow Dash will have.” Curiosity over the bubbly noises coming from within what was, by Whisper’s standards, a veritable mansion, overcame his trepidation, and he was forced to reconsider his position as he walked in to find Bright Hope quite happily squealing about nothing at all, perched in Quakehoof’s lap. Whisper became frozen not by fear, but awe as he saw a foal for the first time. There wasn’t a shred of anything he could possibly find frightening, and for a time he simply stared, unable to fathom the purity of the heart that he heard. It was, he would admit, very much like Fluttershy’s, and perhaps it was that single thought that drew him closer, ignoring the massive earth pony’s calm gaze as he approached.
“Quakehoof? Do you think it’d be alright if Whisper held her?” Fluttershy asked, cantering over to where Whisper stood entranced by the little filly.
“Indeed it would. Look, Hope, a new pony to play with.” Overjoyed to have somepony new to play with, the filly slid down from her father’s lap and froliced over to Whisper, promptly slobbering all over his mane and giving his foreleg an inordinate amount of huggles. At Fluttershy’s urging, he sat down and, taking her cue, the filly promptly made a new home snuggled up next to Whisper, grabbing a mouthful of mane and a little extra for her hooves to play with. Even were he a pony of many words, at that moment, Whisper would have been speechless.
If this is how I started... how all ponies are at first, then maybe... maybe they aren’t so scary after all.
Opposition to all things feminine had always been Scootaloo’s creed. Girly things were for the more dainty, prissy ponies, not awesome speed demons like Rainbow Dash and, she had hoped, herself. However, upon finding her special talent to be not her raw speed, but pairing dexterity and poise along with it, had led to her relenting on some points. She would, on occasion, and usually only after much prodding, deign to wear makeup. Dresses were something she despised, and after hearing so much praise following the performance recently where she and Sweetie Belle had “gotten all fancy,” as Applebloom called it, she secretly wore the dress indoors once or twice. Unfortunately, upon entering Perfect Jewel’s new shop in Ponyville, she again found herself acting quite unlike herself, as if some uncontrollable force had taken over her mind and was convinced that she needed to display her inner Rarity.
“Whoa, check that one out, Sweetie Belle! It’s gorgeous! Oh, and that one, too! Look at that diamond glitter... I’m going to have come here more often, if only to stare. I wonder if Jewel could make something in my size... What do you think, Applebloom?” She was met not with an assessment but simply snickers as they both gave her knowing looks, jolting her back to her norm. “It was just a question! It’s not like I’d wear any of this beau... girly stuff. Blech!”
“I suppose I could have you advertise for my shop, if you’d like,” Perfect Jewel announced, coming out from behind the counter and cantering over to the fillies. “Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, you both have quite the following here in Ponyville. If my making some filly sized jewelry would help bolster awareness, and bring in some business, then it would be unwise of me to pass up such an eager offer.”
“Really?!?” Scootaloo again found herself at the receiving end of knowing stares, prompting a sullen silence and indecipherable muttering.
“Jewel, that’s very nice of you to offer, and we can discuss it later, but we actually came for a different reason,” Sweetie Belle said. She then paused, hesitating, glancing at her friends and shifting nervously.
“Go on, Sweetie Belle. Do not be afraid to speak. There is nopony else here right now, after all.”
“I know, it’s just...”
“What’re you fussin’ about, Sweetie Belle? Somethin’ botherin’ you?” Applebloom asked.
I can’t just say it. I mean, I don’t even know if I’m right or not, but I’ve got a hunch, and they’re usually right. Rarity is trying to keep it a secret, so I can’t just let anypony know. “Applebloom, Scootaloo, I hate to ask this, but can you... maybe wait outside?”
“Uh, sure, ah guess. Come on, Scootaloo, you can stare at the pretty rocks later,” Applebloom urged, nudging her towards the door.
“I didn’t say anything about any gems!” she shot back, growing defensive, though as they made their exit she realized her mistake.
“Ah didn’t either, ah said rocks.” Jewel let out a soft chuckle, the slamming of the door a testament to the orange pegasus’ denial that also ushered in solitude.
“Well...” I don’t really have any excuse now. Please, sis, don’t be mad at me. “I think my sister... really wants a coltfriend.” Perfect Jewel gave the filly her full attention as she continued. “I don’t think she’s ever kissed somepony, and even before I was born, she’d talk about finding a handsome prince and getting married. But... she’s been so sad lately that I think she’s starting to lose hope.”
“Being lonesome is hard to hide. I’ve noticed it too, when she comes by to chat.” She paused, noticing a faint blush rise to the filly’s cheeks as she looked anywhere but Jewel’s face. “There’s more, isn’t there.”
“She... I think she really... is having a hard time keeping her, um... desires under control. I can’t fix anything, but I want to get her a gift that will make her smile. Please, Jewel, I’ll find some way to earn the bits and pay you back. I’ll even work here if I have to, or help you find gems. I just can’t stand seeing my sister this way.” Sweetie Belle hadn’t realized how frightened for Rarity she was until she felt herself start to shake, and her vision was blurred as she looked up at Jewel through glassy eyes.
“Sweetie Belle, do not worry yourself over payment. Your sister has given me more than I could hope to repay, helping me find gems and get this store up and running. Wait here a moment.” Sweetie sniffed and dried her eyes, watching as Jewel trotted from case to case, muttering as she went. An ecstatic shout signaled the end of her search, and she beamed as she saw Sweetie Belle light up as she held out the gift. “I think you know what this is. While traditionally simply a band, I think that the Midnight Amethyst I added will be more pleasing to her sensibilities.”
“It’s perfect, Jewel. Thank you.”
“That is my name, after all. Give Rarity my regards, and tell her not to give up, or give in.” The resolve on the filly’s face left no doubt in Jewel’s mind that Rarity would be all right, and as Sweetie Belle scampered out the door to rejoin her friends her mind wandered back to her own struggle in that arena. “Perfect... Rarity, that only applies to my jewelry, I’m afraid. But you... don’t let it slip away.”
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Rarity was contemplating. Twilight had gone back home, and the mare once again found herself alone in a world of fashion that was more and more starting to feel like a cage. She had heard Twilight’s warnings, and knew the risks. Back and forth, her heart raged against her mind and body, the heavy burden of clinging to what many would consider an archaic ideal digging deeper and deeper into a heart that only yearned for love. As much as she was felt like she was only feeling the physical draw, she knew that she wasn’t that shallow.
At least, that’s what I’d like to believe, but... I can feel it, this blasted jealousy rising within, making me want to push everypony away... It’s little wonder such a bitter pony like me has nopony for my own. A beautiful heart... Twilight, I appreciate the words, but I simply don’t see it. Why in Equestria was I named the Element of Generosity if all I see when I look in the mirror... is selfishness?
Fearing she would experience some kind of mental collapse, she busied herself working on one of her orders, but her efficiency was running at around a third of what it normally would be, having to stitch and restitch, cut out, refine, and start from scratch more times than she cared to admit as the subject of life, and love as a whole, dominated her thought processes. So it was that, even despite her gloom, she regarded the knock on the door as a herald of relief, if only for a moment. The mare she found behind the door was the last pony she ever expected to see, and her uncharacteristically rude open-mouthed stare bore testament.
“Wha... Carrot Top? What in Equestria are you...” Carrot Top was, perhaps, the antithesis of Rarity. To her knowledge, she was vulgar, unladylike, and to say she was a mare of ill repute would be far too soft a description for her. Rarity was convinced that, if perversity had a tangible form, Carrot Top would eat it three meals a day, with gratuitous snacking throughout. But in her distraught condition, revulsion took a backseat as the mare before her donned a knowing, sensuous smile. It was sickening, but alluring.
“You know, I’m no unicorn, but I’ve been with plenty. And, correct me if I’m way off, somepony has been rather... frustrated recently, yes?” Rarity wanted with all her heart to adopt a firm glare, hold her head high, and refute such a claim, but she couldn’t. “I don’t really know you all that well, and I don’t think we’d get along if we tried. But I know a sexually frustrated pony when I see one. And you, Rarity? You’re as uptight as they come. Here, take this,” Carrot Top encouraged, holding out a rather large carrot that had been skinned and cut to resemble a rather blush-worthy piece of male anatomy.
“Why... would you...”
“I think you know exactly why,” she replied, dropping her voice and licking her lips. “If that’s not enough for you, feel free to stop by my place tonight. Later!” Rarity stood staring at the carrot for a moment before realizing what it was she was holding, at which point she quickly shut the door and retreated to her room, throwing the carrot on the bed and flopping down beside it, her cries starting softly and growing into wracking sobs as her will slowly crumbled.
I’ve looked... I’ve wanted... I’ve burned with passion time and time again, thirsting for what’s not mine to take and filling my head with that which I loathe. If it really is that obvious to everypony, then... “What’s the point in hiding it anymore?” she whispered, whimpering as her silent pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears, the bitter shame sinking its claws in deeper. She cracked open her eyes, staring at the carrot and feeling little strength to combat all the mental images that sprang to mind. “There really... isn’t a point in trying anymore, is there...” She slowly eased herself upright, staring at the carrot with a hunger not born of her stomach. Laying back down, she held it aloft, desperately hoping for some spark, some catalyst that could drag her back from the depths, but no encouragement came. Consumed by disgust and cradled by despair, the broken mare continued crying softly even as she spread her legs, knowing that years of fighting for what she wanted herself to be were about to disappear.
Had Fluttershy had even the slightest knowledge of Rarity’s struggle, she would have dropped everything and flown to her friends aid; any of her friends would have, really. But alas, the mare was left by herself as Fluttershy and Whisper enjoyed a rather pain free afternoon at Grace’s house, though one or two events did disqualify the stay from being perfect. It was a necessary evil, really, bringing up the topic of wrestling after Whisper had already likely heard more than enough on the subject, but with only the physical side swirling in his mind, Fluttershy could imagine more than a few awkward situations that could arise due to innocent ignorance, and thus, after attempting to introduce Grace to Whisper, who was too taken by Hope to bother being startled by yet another new pony, she ascended the stairs and made her way towards Dash’s room.
Rainbow Dash soon learned that having soundproofed walls are a double edged sword. Yes, they provided a superb level of secrecy, useful for mushy discussions that would absolutely destroy any semblance she had of maintaining a “cool” label and other, less sensitive matters like rolling in the hay. To Fluttershy’s relief and Dash’s vexation, it was the former that the mare walked in on, catching the two pegasi sharing yet another moment of adorable affection, free from the usual sensuality with which they were viewed. Actually, it was little more than an innocent massage accompanied by whispered words of affection, but as Dash undid all of the relaxation by sitting bolt upright, it became apparent it was just as bad.
“Fluttershy! Why didn’t you knock?”
“Um, I did. Many times.”
“But... how... ugh, fine! Go on, tell everypony I’m the mushiest mare in Ponyville!”
“Ok, if you say so...”
“No! Don’t, I was joking!”
“It wasn’t very, you know, funny, Rainbow Dash.”
When the hay did she become so aggravatingly... something! I can’t even think right now! She glanced up as a large wing wrapped around her, soothing her frustration slightly and pulling her close. “Oh, stop looking at me like that,” she muttered, Storm’s affection for his wife’s seemingly split personalities all too apparent. “Fluttershy, what do you want? Can’t I have a few moments alone with Storm?”
“I really, really hate to interrupt, but, well... Storm? You need to finish what you started.”
“He needs to what with what he what now?” Dash cried, yanking away, her eyes darting back and forth between two ponies who were nothing short of perplexed at the mare’s odd behavior. “Just what exactly did you start, huh? If I find out you landed yourself in another mare’s bed, I’ll...”
“How the hay would that even be possible? I spend every moment of every day with you, Dash!”
“Oh, so that’s a problem now, huh?” Again using her powers of embarrassment for the greater good, Fluttershy cleared the matter promptly with a well-timed, matter-of-fact statement.
“Rainbow Dash, I just need Storm to tell Whisper more about sex, ok?” Oh dear! I didn’t mean to say that... I... oh... It was rather effective at cutting the squabble short, as well as robbing both ponies of speech. “I...” Taking a hint from the silent couple, Fluttershy allowed herself a few moments to clear her head, the other two seemingly respecting her peace, though in reality they still hadn’t fully recovered. From anypony else, it would have been shrugged off in an instant, but from Fluttershy? Whisper may as well have waltzed into the room and shouted to high heaven, so great was their alarm. “Storm, listen, I really appreciate you, um, ‘educating’ Whisper, but it’d be very helpful if you also would explain boundaries to him. Could you please do that?”
“Well, I guess...” he replied slowly.
“Storm, you’re doing it,” Fluttershy said flatly, though unaggressively. “I knew he’d have to learn someday, so I’m really not bothered that you brought it up, but you need to finish it, or... well, I’m a little worried he might, you know... ‘try’ something.” It was enough of an explanation for Rainbow Dash, the very idea of anything erotic being done with Fluttershy sending up a haze of red flags dancing across her vision.
“Storm, no time to waste. Let’s go!” she commanded, shoving him off the bed and trotting to the door.
“Do you guys think that maybe...”
“No excuses, Storm! Whisper needs to learn!”
I was going to say we should probably just have the talk here, but fine, Dash. You want to deal with mom chiming in? Go for it. At least now I won’t be the only pony to suffer. Heaving a sigh and resigning him to the cruelty of fate, he made a mental note that Cerulean’s debt to him had effectively doubled at a moment’s notice and followed after the two friends, arriving in the living room to find Whisper sharing a good romp with Hope, though due to his somewhat larger size, he made especially careful the foal didn’t get caught underhoof. As he suspected, and loathed, his mother was present, sitting beside Quakehoof. One look was all it took for her mothering radar, affectionately referred to by Storm as her “troll sense,” to pick up on her son’s misgivings. “Dash, are you sure we can’t just...”
“Storm, quit stalling and just talk to him!” she commanded, pointing a hoof at Whisper who slowed to a stop, staring curiously at the hoof with eyes that still, despite everything he had learned, shined with the bright flames of innocence.
Rainbow Dash, anything and everything that happens for the next few minutes I blame entirely on you, with or without my mother’s interference. “Whisper? Can you...” I don’t know, stop looking so bucking clueless? Why was it so easy before? A snicker from beside him only furthered the embarrassment attempting to short-circuit his brain. “Whisper, can you come here...”
“Um, ok.” He seems... nervous? But he was totally fine with me back at the pond... Oh, I know! Eager to bring to mind the universal sign for friendship among males, Whisper raised his hoof, waiting eagerly for Storm to complete the action.
You poor, innocent little foal... you have no idea what’s going on, do you? Storm completed the pounding of hooves, holding it in place a moment after Whisper had brought his back down before placing it gently over his eyes. Only way out is through. Here goes nothing... “Whisper... remember all that stuff we talked about earlier? Yes, about... horn honey and... wait, I never said that, hold up!” Storm was about to continue when he noticed that everypony’s eyes were focused solely on him. Dash, don’t think for a second you’re getting anything tonight.
“‘Horn... honey?’” Fluttershy repeated, genuinely confused by the phrase, recalling that Whisper had mentioned it.
“Tea party, Shy,” Rainbow Dash murmured, initiating both the comprehension and blush protocols in her mind.
“Dash, really didn’t need that in my head right now... huh? No, Whisper, I won’t tell you what happened. Ask Fluttershy later.”
“Oh, but it’s such a wonderful tale, though. Do continue, Storm,” Grace chimed in, her sweet smile initiating a furious clash with her son’s glare. Unfortunately, Quakehoof never, ever took his side, and judging that it would be dangerous to confront his mother, he shrugged it off and tried to steer the conversation back towards the topic at hoof.
“Look, Whisper, basically everything I told you about? You can only do it with Fluttershy. Any questions?” There were many, and each answer only bred more. Well, more questions and a growing notion that Storm would never live that day down for the duration of his life. To everypony watching, given that they couldn’t hear the inquiries from the voiceless stallion, their imaginations were left to run wild through blooming fields of awkward dotted with saplings of crazy.
“Yes. No. Uh... kind of? It really depends on the mare, and... No! A million times no, you never, ever do that when other ponies are around.” He became momentarily distracted from the questions as even Hope fell silent, not because of the proceedings themselves but, in her mind, seeing everypony making funny faces and being quiet just had to be a game of some kind. “Only when she says you can. No, it doesn’t ever get stuck there... Oh wow... Yes, yes it does... Most plea... well, wings for a pegasus, horns for unicorns, and I don’t really know about earth ponies. That’s easy, when...”
“What was this about earth ponies?” Grace chimed in, interrupting her son whose ears promptly made a break for the ceiling. “Storm, what was the question?” It offered the slightest satisfaction to Storm that Rainbow Dash was now just as uncomfortable as he felt at that moment, her eyes wide with disbelief that Grace would go there with Fluttershy present.
“Nothing... I want to hear you answer, mom. Whisper, questions, now,” Storm urged, shuddering. Whatever my mother is thinking right now, just... no. Clearly, Rainbow Dash, you haven’t known her for as long as I have, or you’d have expected this. What followed after left everypony save Hope with red cheeks and an inability to make eye contact with anything that was sentient, as Whisper’s requests prompted a lengthy oration on anatomy names, leading to a few questions that his previous discussion hadn’t covered. Fed up with the question and answer treatment, Storm finally caved and proceed to give Whisper a very in-depth, mature walk through the wonder that is rolling in the hay and how it pertains to society and boundaries.
After a good half hour, Storm wrapped up his discourse, leaving himself shocked at his level-headed rationality and, if one could believe it, rather tame way of phrasing what needed to be said. Grateful he was done, Storm heaved a sigh of relief that his dreaded task had come to a close. In fact, as Whisper began to see just how inappropriate his actions had been in the past, he curled closer to Fluttershy, apologizing again and again for unwittingly breaching boundary after boundary. What Storm had dreaded as an afternoon of trudging through a mire of embarrassment had, with the simple touch of care, been turned into something more touching than he imagined “the talk” ever could be. Whisper had, against all odds, made it through the teenage colt’s proverbial gauntlet unscathed, hopefully with his innocence still intact and even closer to the mare that held him tight.
Is a fleeting moment of unimaginable pleasure worth a lifetime of regret? It is a simple question, one that most ponies would answer readily; what pleasure, no matter how great, could possibly be worth suffering for the rest of one’s life? But such a question is fundamentally flawed, as it fails to consider the many variables in life. Temptation has a way of diluting the mind, blending black and white into a murky, indecipherable gray. If Rarity stopped to think, to really consider what it was that she was about to do, the answer of whether or not to continue would have been obvious, but as the assurance of pleasure was weighed against the feeble hope of future fulfilment, she found herself without the strength to dig that deep.
I’ve waited for years and years, faced each and every day with foolish optimism that somepony would come and sweep me off my hooves, and what... what has that brought me? Jealousy, disappointment... sorrow the likes of which I... never imagined I could bear. I’ve held out hope, clung to faith that somehow, someway, somepony might rescue me from this dreadful prison I call my heart, but... it’s too late. I simply cannot... wait any longer. She lay still, desperately trying to calm herself in a pointless effort to refocus herself. It’s not like I’m actually doing something with somepony else, right? I should hardly think that a little self-gratification would be unclean. She edged the carrot closer and cringed, screwing her eyes shut and altering the course of the tears that still streamed from her face. She knew it was a lie to herself, something she couldn’t possibly believe even as she desperately craved for some kind of relief.
Please... somepony... I don’t want to do this... Now just an inch from making contact, she paused as the last of her self control raged against the sultry voice of satisfaction. If I do this, I’ll never... be able to go back. Please, I don’t care how, I don’t care who, just please, somepony save me from... from myself... One second moved on to two, and on to three, her valiant attempts to stave off the inevitable falling short. To my special somepony, if I ever find one... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that I... I’m so weak... The last of her willpower drained away in her tears as her heart finally gave in.
“Rarity?” Sweetie started, mortified as she beheld her sister’s tear-stained face. Sweetie Belle had never seen Rarity so disheveled, and her eyes held nothing but anguish as she stared back. When a house is filled with silence, even the smallest of noises can sound like a thunderclap. But when the mind is filled with commotion, even the blast of a cannon can be unwittingly ignored, and thus Rarity failed to perceive her sister’s entrance.
Rarity had firmly believed that rock bottom had been reached the moment she had given up in her mind, but at the entrance of her sister, she felt that she had truly sunk as low as she could have gone. She lay poised to begin, her intentions unable to be hidden from the filly that stood in the doorway, and all it took was one look at her sister’s horrified face to banish whatever miniscule amount of strength she had left. The aura around the carrot cut out, and her head sank back into the pillow as her limbs went limp.
“Don’t... don’t look at me...” Sweetie Belle had never heard her sister sound so hurt, so utterly defeated. The hollow brokenness moved her to tears and threatened her resolve, her heart cut deep not by any viciousness contained in the words, but at seeing her sister in such a condition.
“Sis, I...” Sweetie Belle began before Rarity’s pained cries shook the house.
“I said don’t look at me! Just go away, leave me alone! I’m every bit as foul as that blasted Carrot Top! I am... just as vile in my heart and mind. Defiled... I cannot even... stand to look at myself, so how... how could I expect... somepony else to...” How can I... ever go back? Even if Sweetie Belle stopped me, I gave in... In my heart, I caved. I have not the strength to fight, so it’s... only a matter of time until... Even as wet as her cheeks were, Rarity felt every tear the Sweetie Belle shed as she stood over her.
“If I ever... hear you compare yourself to Carrot Top again...”
Sweetie Belle, you have no idea. Carrot Top is... likely exactly who I’ll be a few weeks from now. I can’t... resist anymore, I’ve waited too long. And now... that I’ve made that decision, how can I ever go back? Rarity winced as her sister bellowed just inches from her face.
“Sis, that’s not who you are! Ever since I’ve been little, all I’ve ever heard about from you is finding your “prince charming,” somepony worth waiting for! Well, you aren’t married, so clearly he’s still out there, and that means you wait!”
“Wait? All I’ve ever done is wait, and I’m sick of it! You can’t possibly know what it’s like for me, Sweetie Belle, so don’t you dare act like you could!” Rarity fired back, sitting up and knocking Sweetie Belle over in the process. I never asked to feel like this... I never asked for these desires... “Just get out and leave me alone, Sweetie Belle. You could never understand, and you certainly can’t help! All you’ve done is make everything worse, so just leave!”
All I wanted to do was make you happy... I’m sorry, sis... I didn’t mean... “I’m... sorry, Rar...” Sweetie Belle choked on her words, unable to finish saying her sister’s name as the words soaked in. I made... everything worse. Abandoning her gift where it lay, she leapt from the bed and galloped out of the shop, leaving Rarity alone to ponder her outburst. Unfortunately, there really wasn’t any thinking to be done.
“Sweetie Belle, I...” I didn’t mean a single word. You didn’t deserve to hear any of that... Wait, what’s that? Clearing her vision with the back of her hoof, she levitated the small box over and set it in front of her. “She came to... bring me a gift?” She stared at the box for a long time, too ashamed and undeserving to look inside, but when she finally did, it was as life changing as it was heartbreaking. Nearly a forgotten practice, but recognizable to the mare, inside lay a traditional unicorn purity band, accented with a single ribbon of Midnight Amethyst. “Sweetie Belle, you... you knew... exactly what I was struggling with...” It didn’t matter at that moment how worthy she did or didn’t feel, or even if she had the strength to carry through to the end. The essence behind the gift is what gave her hope, and disregarding her petty doubts, she slipped the ring on over her horn and tore out the door. She had nearly lost Sweetie once, but she wasn’t about to let it happen again.