//------------------------------// // FRIENDSHIP // Story: Running from Twilight // by Brony-Sibling //------------------------------// Nearby, at Sweet Apple Acres… Roseluck gapes at you, and her eyes flash quickly to Rainbow’s hooves, which hovering over yours, almost touching when- *WHOOOSH* “HIMERICAHOWAREYOUI’MFINEITSGOODTOSEEYOUAGAIN!” Roseluck blurts out, her face suddenly FAR too close for comfort. “Um… hi?” You hesitantly say.. … Roseluck stares right into your eyes, then down to your chest, and down to... … *Ah-HYEM* Applejack walks over and promptly HOOFS Roseluck to the side, and says, “Fergit something darlin?” Roseluck confusedly looks at Applejack, then you. “Whua?” “Like… maybe sayin what you are doing here on mah property?” Roseluck tentatively looks at you, then bashfully down at her hooves. She mumbles something, but you can’t make it out. “What? Darlin, you’re gonna have to speak up!” Applejack says, ears flicking in annoyance. Roseluck blushes through her reddish coat, and blurts out, “I WANTED TO SEE SOME STALLIONS!” … "Bwahahahahaha! Ah! Ah!“ Rainbow Dash flops onto the ground laughing.“Haha! You- You actually said it out loud!” Roseluck glances at Rainbow, completely mortified, her face so red she actually matches the roses she cares for! “Well… um..” Applejack covers her mouth and laughs at Roseluck, then teasingly says, “Whelll… Ah spose it's alright darlin. That ah can’t exactly blame yah for!” You snap your head around to look at Applejack. “What?!” Applejack snickers at you, and playfully hoofs you in the shoulder. “Heh.” *Wham* “Its not like there’s a bunch of stallions just hangin around these days! In fact, now that ah think of it, ah’ve caught more than one mare creepin around these parts!” You facepalm. *SMACK* “Mares…” Applejack grins, and suddenly her snout is right in your face. You feel her hot breath flow over your ear, and she throatily says, “Ah’ve seen you catchin more than a few looks at these flanks…Not that ah mind…” Suddenly Applejack’s face is disappears from your vision as Rainbow Dash’s hoof replaces it. “HEY Applejack! I found him first! He’s MINE!” “But ah’m takin care of him here!” Applejack says, angrily stomping her hoof. “You aren’t ‘taking care’ of ANYTHING Applejack! He had my mark on him! Totally mine. DIBS!” Rainbow Dash says, wings fluttering in agitation. Suddenly Roseluck blurts out, “Well, he’s really mine because…. Well he has a hoof fetish!!!” “What?” Applejackm Rainbow Dash, and Roseluck confusedly glance at eachother, then look back to you, then back at eachother. All three mares freeze, and suddenly Applejack seems to be brushing her mane with her hooves, in a… very… exaggerated manner. Rainbow Dash’s eyes have clouded over, and you think you can make out hers lip mouthing the words, “hoof fetish? Hoof… fetish?” over and over. Roseluck trots over to you and very… conspicuously pats your shoulder with her hoof, “Anyways… America, what happened? Why aren’t you in the Hospital? Why are you out here?” She slowly traces small circles with her hoof, "I mean, you could have been hurt... and-" “WAIT… just a second…” Rainbow Dash says, suddenly snapping back to reality, and smacking Roseluck’s hoof away. “Hands off girl! He’s MY stallion!” “Rainbow!” Applejack angrily says, trotting over to your side. “We’ve talked about this! He ain’t yer stallion! You can’t even hold his hoof!” Rainbow stubbornly crosses her hooves over her chest. “Not my problem!” Applejack and Roseluck both incredulously look at Rainbow. “Yes. It is!” “Nope! He’s mine!” “Rainbow. At some level, a relationship has to have physical contact!” Applejack angrily yells at her. Applejack then promptly latches onto your arm. “See! If yew can’t even do this, then just give up!” Roseluck looks over at Applejack, then to you, and suddenly latches onto your only free arm. “Hey! I found him before either of you and he already asked for my hoof! So he’s mine!” “WHAAAT?!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash both screech at you. You frustratedly try to pry your arms free of the two mares, “Asked to TOUCH the hoof!” Rainbow Dash gasps in shock and absolute HORROR. *GAAAAAASHP* “WHATTTT?!” Roseluck and Applejack both incredulously look at Rainbow Dash… “Really?” “It’s… just very personal…” Rainbow Dash squeaks out. You stand there, mares clinging to each arm, all of them fighting over you. Each determined to prove that you are theirs, that because of some bizarre reason that you… BELONG to one of them. Applejack sticks her nose in Roseluck’s face. Applejack sticks her nose in Roseluck’s face. “I must inter-ceed, on ‘Merica’s behalf! Yew aren’t any different from any of the other mares! What makes yew think you’re worthy of him!”“ Roseluck smirks, “That’s easy!” She *boops* Applejack on the nose. “I’m Roseluck, and I held hooves with him first!” Rainbow promptly swoops down and points her hoof at the three of you, “Hey! I’m Rainbow Dash! Just let him hangout with me! Then he’ll realize how awesome I am!” Suddenly, you lose it. All the anger, pain, and frustration BOILS out of you as you shake the mares off and yell, “How dare you… All of you! Standing around and deciding my future?! I. AM. NOT A PRIZE TO BE WON!” You storm off, and the mares quickly follow alongside you. Roseluck tries to latch onto your arm again, but you shake her off. Rainbow hovers close above, with Applejack following right behind you. You hear a mare snicker behind you, “Hehe… Hate to see him go, but love to watch him leave huh?? “THATS IT. I just- I… YOU PONIES ARE SO SEXIST!” Roseluck scrunches up her snout in confusion, “Sexist? But I’m not against sex….” *Facepalm* “Just… You…” *UGGH* You groan. You tiredly walk back into the barn, and throw yourself into the nearest haystack. “Women….” The mares glance at eachother, then all settle down around you. Rainbow hangs from a nearby rafter, with Roseluck and Applejack on either side of you in the hay. Roseluck and AJ both take the opportunity to wiggle close, and Rainbow seems to be having a mild panic attack in the rafters. “Need anything? Anything at all? I’d love to help such a strong stallion in any-” You interrupt Roseluck. “You see! That’s it! That’s exactly part of the problem! *UGH* I never thought I’d say this but… I’m just eye candy to you mares!” “No! That’s not true!” Roseluck exclaims. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both nod furiously in agreement. “Alright then!” You say triumphantly. “In that case, name 1 non-physical reason you like me. If you can, I’ll date you. All of you.” “What?” All the mares exclaim in shock. Roseluck pipes up, “Really? Really really? You are all I ever wanted! You’re gorgeous!” You ask again, “Thank you, but… what else?” “What else?” Roseluck says, completely baffled. “Are looks all that matters to you?” You testily ask. ... Rainbow Dash pipes up from the rafters, “Comon… Roseluck… What else?” Roseluck looks back at you nervously. “I…. I-uh…” She shrugs her shoulders. “What else is there?” You hear Applejack’s facehoof *SMACK*. You pick yourself up out of the haystack, and brushing the hay off scoff. “What else is there? Roseluck, you should write a book! ‘How to Offend Stallions in 5 syllables or less!’” You storm off towards the main house. “And nopony follow me! I need think for a bit!” You glance over your shoulder to see the three mares arguing with each other, and you don’t care. With a *SLAM* you walk into the Apple Family Home, and tiredly plop down on the floor in front of Granny Smith. “Granny, how do I make mares respect me?” Granny looks up from her knitting needles, and smiles. “Sugar, you can’t ‘make’ a mare do anything!” Granny Smith holds up her nearly completed scarf, and looks you right in the eyes. “Look at this fer example,,, Mares and scarves are more alike than yew might rekon! They’re complicated, can be irritating, and unravel easily.” Granny chuckles and adds, “But... if you pick the right one, it'll keep you warm and safe, and it'll always be by yer side." Granny stops knitting and looking at you says, “But what yew need to ask yourself, is who you are going to be in the relationship? Are yew gonna be the scarf, or are you gonna pick the scarf?” You are about to open your mouth, when Granny cuts you straight off. “Youngster, ah’ll answer the question yer about to ask. If you want to be treated with respect, find the right mare, or even just want to be left alone? Don't let yerself get passed around like a new scarf by some jealous mares.” Suddenly, you've got it. Granny Smith spots that look in your eye and chuckles, “Besides, ah think I'm going to enjoy watchin you mess with Applejack’s head…” Standing up straight, you walk out of the house into the sunlight, walking taller than you have in a long time, right back to the three mares. As you walk toward the mares, you mutter to yourself. “Let’s see how magical ‘Friendship’ really can be…”