//------------------------------// // How experienced is Bon-Bon at being gay? // Story: In the wake of Anon-A-Miss // by General Alduin //------------------------------// Lyra weaved through the halls, making her way to the front office to sign up for the Spring Fling. Her original plan had failed as she couldn’t recruit Derpy to convince Sunset to run for Spring Princess, but that was alright. She really needed to take her mind off of everything that happened with Bon-Bon, she still loved her but…  She shook her head, being angry at Bon-Bon wouldn’t help, she just needed to clear her mind. She’d be able to earn Sunset's forgiveness some other way, maybe if she won and told her speech that’d be enough for Sunset? Unlikely, but hey, couldn’t hurt. It was more likely that Sunset would be more receptive and happy if she refused to attend graduation in protest, if the rumors were true anyway. She pushed a door open and walked in, stopping in surprise when she found Sunset writing on a piece of paper. “Oh! Sunset.” “Huh?” Sunset looked over disinterested. “Oh, hey Lyra.” She said before returning to writing. “Hey.” Lyra said awkwardly, walking in. “Are… are you signing up for the Fling?” “Yeah.” She eyed Lyra. “Is that a problem?” “No! Not at all, I’m just surprised.” Lyra walked over and got her own admission papers. “I didn’t think you’d do another one of these after the last Formal.” “I’m not going to cheat or anything if that’s what you’re worried about.” “I wasn’t, but good to know anyway.” Lyra began signing up, racking her brain on what to say next. “Any particular reason you’re running?” “Derpy.” Sunset said simply. “When we were hanging out she half forced me to run, said it was my way of making it up to her so I didn’t have a choice.” “Oh yeah, Derpy told me you two were hanging out the other day.” Lyra smiled. “How’d that go?” “Pretty good actually.” Sunset handed her admission papers in. “I should’ve hung out with her a long time ago, she’s exactly what I needed after everything that happened with Anon.” “I’m glad to hear it, at least you two have a friend after your friend groups… weren’t the most loyal.” Lyra cleared her throat. Sunset nodded and began walking to the door, stopping before she walked out. “Hey Lyra? I want to apologize for what happened Friday.” “Apologize?” Lyra looked up from the paper. “Sunset! You don’t have to apologize for anything, we were way too hasty with you. We should’ve just hung out and not discussed Anon.” “Perhaps, but I still want to apologize for yelling at you and Bon-Bon. I was in a bad place and any little thing would’ve set me off, I’m a little better now I think, so maybe… maybe we could hang out some other time.” “Really?” Lyra said with a shocked expression. “N-not for a little while, I’m a bit busy. I’ll come up to you when I’m ready and discuss the details.” “Well, I can’t wait.” Lyra smiled cheerfully. “May the best princess win.” “Yeah.” Sunset waved goodbye. “See ya.” Lyra waited a few seconds to make sure Sunset was gone, fist pumping and dancing energetically in celebration.  Her plan was back in full swing! Bon-Bon sat down, alone, at the edges of the cafeteria, the only table she was welcomed at since she had alienated herself from a good chunk of the student population. She began eating her lunch, keeping an eye out for Applejack, waving the cowgirl down when she saw her. Applejack made her way over to Bon-Bons table and sat down. “Hey AJ.” “Hey.” Applejack greeted curtly as she settled in.  “Look, if this is about Lyra-” “Lyra?” Applejack looked confused.”What about Lyra?” “You haven’t heard?” Bon-Bon tilted her head. “I thought everyone at school had heard by now.” “Yeah well, Ah’m not exactly one for the rumor mill. Any gossip Ah get is from Rarity.” She leaned forward. “Now, what's this about Lyra?” “Well…” Bon-Bon looked uneasy. “I uh... I sent Anon Lyra's secret.” “Seriously?” Applejack recoiled. “Yah really sent yer girlfriends secret to Anon for a laugh?” “No! No, of course not!” Bon-Bon held up her hands. “I was trying to help her! She was always afraid her secret would get out and she’d be humiliated, I wanted to show her that no one would care, especially after Sunset. Your sister and her friends edited to make it sound… worse.” Applejack stares at Bon-Bon quietly for a few seconds. “Ok, it’s not great yah did that. But that’s yer drama and yah’ll have to work it out yerself. Ah’m here for another reason.” “You are?” Bon-Bon asked curiously. “Why are you here?” Applejack looked awkward for a few seconds before clearing her throat. “How experienced air yah at being gay?” “What?” Bon-Bon looked extremely confused. “Well, yah know.” “I don’t think I understand your question.” “Just, how experienced are yah at being gay? That’s all Ah want to know.” “Um… pretty experienced?” Bon-Bon shrugged. “I am gay so, I don’t know how much more experienced you can get then that… Why do you ask?” “It’s just…” Applejack sighed. “My baby sisters gay.” “Is that so?” Bon-Bon tensed.  “Yeah, and Ah was hoping yah maybe had some advice for me, Ah’ve never had experience with a gay family member before.” Bon-Bon was quiet. “Tell me.” She leaned closer. “Do you think homosexuality is a sin?” Applejack was quiet for a long moment, looking away to collect her thoughts. “When Ah first realized she was gay, Ah did some research to answer exactly that.” She looked back to Bon-Bon. “Ah asked forums, poured through articles online, read stuff from theologians and… none of it was very helpful.” Applejack leaned back in her seat. “Ah got arguments from both sides who immediately began arguing with eachother, read that the passage condemning homosexuality was a mistranslation from Greek, then saw arguments opposing that claim, then saw people pointing out that Christ did away with the Old Testament so why are we still condemning homosexuality, then saw arguments that homophobia was a holdover from Hebrew culture, then saw arguments pointing out passages about God explicityly suggesting a union was between a man and woman and…” Applejack let out an annoyed sigh. “Ah don’t know, it’s all so confusing and unclear. Ah wish there was a specific commandment from God clearing it up.” Bon-Bon frowned, not happy with that answer.  “But Ah don’t really care if it is.” Bon-Bon looked surprised and wordlessly urged Applejack to continue. “Thing is… if it is a sin, it ain’t hurting anybody, Ah believe people should do whatever they want with their lives if it isn’t hurting anyone. It’s really not up to me to judge someone for their sin, at least one like that, that’s reserved for God alone. Ah also point out that Christ accepted the worst kind of sinner: tax collectors. If Christ can accept a tax collector of all people, then he can accept a gay person… but there are three things that convinced me to accept someone regardless of their sexuality.” “And what would those be?” “First, the Bible says to love yer neighbor as yerself. Well, if Ah believe my neighbors whole existence is sinful, Ah’m not really loving them as myself Am Ah? Second, the Bible explicitly condemns judging others and ignoring yer own sin and flaws in the passage about the beam in yer eye. Third, the ever important golden rule: treat others as yah would want to be treated. Ah know Ah wouldn’t want to be discriminated against for being straight, so what right do Ah have to discriminate against someone for being gay?” Applejack shrugged. “Ah also can’t imagine that an infinitely old, infinitely powerful, infinitely knowledgeable omnibenevolent being who knows yah better than yah know yerself would care about something so small like who yah fancy. Makes no sense to me. What, Gods suddenly going to hate yah for liking the same gender? Yah can be a good and righteous person yer whole life, but be sent to Hell for something so… arbitrary? Ah just can’t believe that.” There was a long silence between the two, Applejack looking confused when Bon-Bin began laughing. “What’s so funny?” “I misjudged you AJ.” Bon-Bon clarified, smiling at the cowgirl. “I always thought you were super conservative and thought homosexuality was a sin. For that I’m sorry.” “Is that why things are so weird between us?” “Weird?” Bon-Bon raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “Well, yah know. Yer always kinda… cold when we talk, like yah just don’t like me. Ah noticed it first when yah made fun of me at the Freshman fair when Ah was trying to join the gardening club.” “Oh…” Bon-Bon cringed. She definitely remembered that. “I… I guess. Me and Lyra have had to deal with… less than open minded people and you kind of reminded me of some of them.” “Well, it was only recently that Ah came to these conclusions after a whole heck of a lot of research. Before that Ah was just… uncaring? Tolerant? Ah dunno how to classify it.” Applejack leaned closer. “For the record, Ah’ve never once thought ill of yer and Lyras relationship. Ah’ve never thought yah were sinful or God hated yah and Ah’m sorry that people like me aren’t very… neighborly with yah.” Bon-Bon looked touched by Applejack's words, a smile on her face. “And I’m sorry for stereotyping you. I should’ve treated you the same as anybody else unless you got aggressive.” “Apology accepted.” Applejack crossed her arms. “But Ah really do need some advice, Ah’m clueless when it comes to this.” “Oh! Right, the reason you’re here.” Bon-Bon cleared her throat. “First, you should really ask if your sister’s ok with you telling people her sexuality.” She noticed Applejack had a prideful smile on her face. “You already did, didn't you?” “Yep!” Applejack said triumphantly. “I did some research.” “Alright, good.” Bon-Bon nodded her head. “You should really sit her down and talk things out, see what she’s insecure about, and probably tell her what you told me. She’s religious too and she’s probably worried God doesn’t love her anymore, I know I was worried when I first came out.” “Speaking of which.” Applejack interrupted. “Sunset told me Ah should bring Bloom out of any environment that may not be accepting of her. Now my church isn’t very fire and brimstone when it comes to preaching, but Ah have no idea what their views are on homosexuality, they never talked about it. Ah was hoping that, if they aren’t open minded, that we could move to yer church?” “Move to my church? What do you mean? How did you know I even go to church?” “Sunset.” Applejack admitted. “Back when she was a bully, she used to stalk yah for blackmail.” “Of course she did.” Bon-Bon rolled her eyes.  “She found out yah go to church, and something tells me yer open about yer sexuality with them.” “I am, they’re an affirming church.” Bon-Bon nodded. “Well, sure I guess. I’m not going to stop you.” “Yah sure yah won’t mind? Yah’ll be in close proximity to my sister.”  “Hey, if it helps a fellow LGBT youth then I’m all for it. Besides, it’s not like I’ll have to spend all day with her or anything, I can be mature in church.” Bon-Bin waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, and you should probably take her to some pride events, she’ll love that.” “Pride events? Like marches? Aren’t a lot of people who attend those kind of… revealing?” “They’re not all like that AJ, I’ve never been to a pride parade like that. Just do some research on what event you’re attending, see what they allow and don’t allow. I can lead you to some pride resources if you want to know more.” “Alright, thanks.” Applejack nodded. “So, why are yah eating all alone?” Bon-Bon winced. “Well… no one’s exactly thrilled with me for what I did. Lyra and Octie need some space, I’m kind of scared of Derpy right now, and I’m not on speaking terms with Vinyl and Time Turner.” She began eating her food. “Can’t say I blame them really.” “What about the students who gave Anon secrets?” “They don’t like me cause I got away with it for so long. Basically, I’ve pissed off the entire school.” Bon-Bon sounded resigned to her fate, idly eating her food. Applejack sat quietly for a few seconds, staring at Bon-Bon before grabbing Bon-Bons tray. “Hey! What are you-” “Yer eating with me and my friends.” She said sternly. “Im what now?” “Yah heard me.” Applejack stood up. “Ah can’t in good conscience allow someone to eat all alone.” “H-hold on, I don’t know if I-” “Ah’m not taking no for an answer.” Applejack began walking away. “Either yah starve or yah eat with my friends. The choice is yers.” Bon-Bons eyes darted back and forth between Applejack and her fable, groaning in defeat. “This is a bad idea.” She got up and began following after Applejack.