“You were out late last night.”
Screwloose pondered her roommate. She was smirking, and making no effort to hide it. Mint Jewelup was a terrible tease, and right now she pressed for every advantage. After sitting in silence for a while and not answering, Mint gave a saucy seemingly knowing wink.
Screwloose squeed nervously, squirming on the couch, very nearly spilling her orange juice. She felt a hot blush flood her face, the sort that made her ears change colour. She tried to calm and took a sip of orange juice through a straw.
“I figured that letter was somepony wanting to see you. You finally found somepony!” Mint said, smiling broadly, her eyes twinkling with merriment. “And nopony is out that late unless somepony likes them.”
“Yeah, somepony.” Screwloose said nervously.
“Well, who is it? Do I know them?” Mint said, bouncing in place on the couch next to Screwloose.
Screwloose felt a lump in her throat. Mint had always been so accepting of everything. Mint seemed to like her unconditionally. Mint had always been there. Always. Screwloose swallowed.
“I did not see a pony.” Screwloose blurted. “I saw a diamond dog. His name is Fleagle. We ate a dinner salvaged from garbage cans, drug our plots through the grass, and then spent some time moongazing.”
Mint Jewelup’s smile never wavered. “Ponies throw away too much food.”
“That’s all you have to say?” Screwloose said incredulously.
Mint nodded, bobbing enthusiastically.
“I’m seeing a dog. I’m relapsing into bad behaviours. Dr. Hornwinkle is going to be upset. I went barking last night.” Screwloose said, feeling her mind go in a million different directions at once.
“But you’re happy. Maybe you would actually be better off being a dog rather than continue to pretend you're a pony.” Mint said, her smile impossibly wide.
Screwloose recoiled as though she had been slapped.
“You alright honey bunches?” Mint said, seeing her friend’s distress.
“Pretending to be a pony…” Screwloose mumbled, her eyes no longer blinking in synch.
“Hold on to those marbles filly friend!” Mint encouraged. “There is no valid reason why you can’t love a diamond dog. Love is love is love. The way you are doesn’t make sense to ponies, but it probably makes a lot of sense to a dog.”
Screwloose felt a foreleg sliding around her shoulders and pulling her close.
“Just ease into this slowly Screwloose. Find a balance. Be happy. Be yourself, whomever you might be.” Mint said.
Screwloose nodded.
“I’m going to tell you something love.” Mint said, taking a deep breath. “I come from a suburb of Baltimare. A quiet sleepy perfect little suburb on the outskirts of the big city. All the houses look the same. A good quiet unicorn neighborhood.” Mint took another deep breath and shuddered. Her smile broke. “It was a very uptight place. Not at all like Ponyville. I was young. My mother caught me in bed with both a filly and a colt. My mother overreacted.”
Mint sighed and blew her mane out of her eyes.
“Do you know what pansexuality is?” Mint asked.
Screwloose shook her head no.
“In very simple terms, pansexuality is loving something for what it is. The mind. The body is just a shell. You love what is inside. Do you understand?” Mint asked, all traces of her usual humour gone, her face serious and a little sad. “The important thing is that you love.”
Screwloose nodded, slurping some orange juice through a straw.
“My mother had me locked away in a mental institution. My father did nothing to stop her. I had to undergo… ‘treatments’ to help me with my problem.” Mint scowled. “So I’ve been there, where you are now. Which is why I agreed to take you in when you got out. I was hoping to watch you blossom into whatever you were meant to be.”
“Did the treatments change what you are?” Screwloose said in a squeaky nervous voice.
There was a long silence, punctuated by a gentle brief kiss on Screwloose’s cheek.
“No love.” Mint said. “I endured, and when I was released, I healed from what they did to me. Nothing they did could make me stop loving. I love every pony I meet. Some more than others. For some, it is an emotional connection, for others, it is sexual.” Mint squeezed Screwloose and held her close. “For you, it is a shared sense of struggle. I understand what you are going through.”
“I thought Dr. Hornwinkle and others wanted to help me get better. This is confusing." Screwloose said, her face contorting with facial tics.
“They mean well. They want you to get better to the standard of what they consider is better. Sometimes, sadly, they do more harm than good.” Mint said slowly.
“How… Why…” Screwloose stammered.
“Dr. Hornwinkle isn’t that bad. He’s helped you in a lot of ways. You have good coping skills now. You’ve adjusted well to society. Really, he isn’t so bad. I know from experience.” Mint said, smiling sadly. There was another gentle kiss and a squeeze, and then Mint let go.
“Just go forward carefully, don’t rush into anything, and try to find a balance.” Mint offered. “And I’ll be here for you every step of the way. I love you, and want to see you happy.”
“Does being pansexual apply to other species?” Screwloose inquired.
“That is a good question. I’ve only ever been attracted to ponies. Maybe I should broaden my horizons and try a date outside my own species and test to see just how open minded I really am.” Mint said, looking thoughtful.
“We sniffed each other’s butts last night.” Screwloose said, red faced.
“Ooh exciting. That sounds exotic. I think I’ll try that the next time I see Thunderlane or Parasol. Any advice?” Mint said, leaning in, her ears perked.
“I had my eyes closed. It was strange. He smelled like black licorice.” Screwloose said, nodding slightly.
“We’ll I’ll be. I wonder what I smell like back there. Hey, mind sniffing back there and telling me?” Mint said, her tone back to being teasing.
Screwloose’s red blush merged with her blue pelt, causing her to turn an odd shade of purple, nearly from hoof to ear.
“Well, you were the one checking me out. That’s an invitation in my book.” Mint said, beaming broadly.
“We’re going to see each other again on Saturday.” Screwloose said. “I feel so nervous and weird.”
“More plot sniffing?” Mint asked.
“Maybe.” Screwloose said.
“I’d like to watch.” Mint said, sticking her tongue out after her words, being a tease.
Screwloose stood in her place of employment, a place that sold quills and sofas. There hadn’t been any customers for hours. The last customer had been Her Royal Highness Twilight Sparkle, who had purchased every quill in the shop. Screwloose was going to get quite a commission for that. She did every week.
It was an ideal job really.
She began to pace the store, walking in a circle around the showroom, her mind racing. Her boss, Davenport, was in the backroom, going over inventory. Normally, she didn’t mind the long hours spent standing around. It gave her time to think. Today, the hours felt long. She wanted it to be Saturday already.
“Screwloose?” Davenport said from the back room.
“Yes sir?” Screwloose answered.
“Good work selling five sofas in the past two weeks. There’s going to be an extra bonus for you in your next paycheck, and I’ll put in a good word with Dr. Hornwinkle. Splendid job. You’re a marvelous salespony.” Davenport shouted happily.
Screwloose felt an uncharacteristically broad smile burst out on her face.
“Go ahead and clock out. I’m closing early. I want to spend time with my family. And we never have customers on Friday.” Davenport called out from his back room.
Screwloose skipped and pranced to the stock room, checking out, and then left for the day. She emerged from the employee entrance into Ponyville, smiling. She actually felt like bursting from the inside.
And ponies seemed to notice. There were many nods and smiles in her direction. Her face wasn’t twitching nearly as much as it usually did. Waiting was growing unbearable.
“Hello there roomie.” Mint’s voice caused Screwloose to start.
“Oh hi!” Screwloose said cheerfully.
“I’m on my way to see Parasol and I saw you grinning like a lovesick fool. I had to say hello. You’re off early today.” Mint said in passing.
Screwloose nodded. “Go have some fun with Parasol.”
“Oh, I intend to do more than have fun with her.” Mint said, still hurrying along, now looking back over her shoulder at Screwloose and winking.
Screwloose felt a little confused, having the whole afternoon to herself, not knowing what to do. She didn’t want to go back home, hiding in her room. For once, she wanted to be out. Out with other ponies, perhaps even doing pony things. She took off at a trot, an unusual bounce in her step, heading off for Sugarcube Corner.
Screwloose sat in a cozy corner table in Sugarcube Corner, nursing a cupcake and a milkshake, her usual treat. Not knowing what else to do with her bits, she had opened a large store credit, paying ahead for many such treats, so she could stop in whenever she wanted for a bite to eat and not have to worry about carry bits, or saddlebags, or any sort of baggage at all.
“You look happy!” A voice chirped.
Screwloose turned to look at Pinkie Pie, who was smiling at her.
“I am.” Screwloose said in a shy reply.
“Good. You deserve to be happy Screwloose. You always look so sad.” Pinkie said, still smiling, her eyes as wide as her smile. She took a seat at the table acrossed from Screwloose. “So what’s made you so happy?” Pinkie said, leaning over the table.
“I went on a nice date.” Screwloose said, blushing slightly.
“Oh! Oh! Oh! That’ll do it! You found somepony!” Pinkie Pie squealed joyfully.
Screwloose nodded, not correcting Pinkie.
“Come to the bakery tomorrow night during your date. To the back. I’ll have treats for you.” Pinkie whispered conspiratorially.
“Whahow?” Screwloose said, nearly choking on her milkshake.
Pinkie Pie winked.
“How?” Screwloose inquired.
“Pinkie sense.” Pinkie Pie said, as though that explained everything. “We were going to throw out a bunch of stuff anyway. Somepony should get it.”
Screwloose fell silent, baffled.
“And don’t be shy. Just bring your friend by and say hello.” Pinkie said, winking again. She then bounced out of her seat and resumed her job, dancing around on her hooves, smiling at other customers.
Screwloose felt a momentary surge of panic, which she squashed down, determined to not let it ruin her day. Sooner or later, word would get out that she was dating. Fleagle’s cover might be blown. And there was no telling how the ponies might react to a diamond dog living in town. That could be dealt with later, she supposed. She wondered where he hid during the day.
Screwloose felt a giddy rush, the sugar she had eaten mixing with her burgeoning feeling of joy. Usually, her medication made her feel kind of blank inside. Today, she felt alive, like nothing could go wrong, and life was worth living.
It would be Saturday soon enough.