//------------------------------// // Ch. 3: Vanity Comes Out Of The Closet // Story: We're Still Sinners // by MemoryLane //------------------------------// “So…” Vanity started, her eyes glued to the floor of her and Ennui’s new apartment. Her heart was trembling and jumpy, a feeling that she had been trying to get over ever since she had called her closest friends over a few hours ago. Her eyes were full of regret, but her conscience was full of pride, and the necessity to share. “Uhm… you all actually came,” she said, softly.         “Of course!” Fluttershy half-whispered. The rest of the group nodded kindly--Twilight, Aphrodite, Rarity, and Ennui. Though, Ennui was only there because her and Vanity shared the place. The five of them were sitting in a circle in the living room, after having moved the couch. “You said you wanted to talk. We’re always up to listen.”         “We’re your friends. I’m shocked you expected us not to be there for you,” Rarity said, with a wink. Vanity knew she was joking, so she gave her a depressed grin.         “Thanks. It means a lot to me that you all showed, and didn’t just blow this off,” she said, truthfully. In fact, Vanity had originally guessed that only half of the ponies that she invited would show. Right about then, she was wishing that nopony had showed at all. Maybe what she was doing was just dumb. Too late now.         “It’s no problem at all,” Twilight smiled. “I hoped you didn’t mind that I brought Aphrodite. She… erm… wouldn’t take no for an answer.” Vanity didn’t mind Aphrodite. In fact, she respected the lustful mare more than anypony would ever know. Something about her persistence, and way of life piqued her interest. However, that was a fact she would never share.         Meanwhile, Aphrodite was was giving a sensual nod. “True. I didn’t mean to intrude. I was just… well, curious is all.” Aphrodite smirked, but Vanity didn’t know why.         “Next time, if you invite ponies over, tell them to bring refreshments,” Ennui muttered towards Vanity, lazily. Every pony in the circle was sitting on their rump, except for her. Ennui seemed to get a kick being the odd one out, and lying on her stomach. Her white mane littered the rug like streams of party favors. “Can’t have a party without refreshments.”         Vanity really wished that Ennui hadn’t come. Vanity had actually planned the meeting just this morning, after learning that Ennui was going to be out all afternoon at the arcade. Unfortunately, after some kind of accident at the “Video Game Palace”, they were forced to shut down for the day. Ennui came home early, and refused to tell Vanity just what happened there. Vanity had a sneaking suspicion that Ennui was the cause of it. However, no matter how hard she wanted to get irritated, she just couldn’t.         “Ennui, this isn’t a party,” Vanity replied with a sigh. “I wanted to have you all here because… I-I wanted to tell you all something--something about me.” Twilight cocked her head with confusion.         “What is it? You’ve already told us everything about you, I believe,” Twilight said with a grin.         “True,” Ennui added. “Attribute of ‘being full of herself’ here.” Ennui gave Vanity a playful grin, most likely to let her know that she was only joking. Vanity ignored her entirely.                  “I’m just going to get it over with. I’ve… been doing some thinking--about me. About who I am, what I am, and what feels normal and right. Uhm… and… well, I decided to tell you all first, before the rest of the Sins and our friends learn that…” Vanity sighed, and she looked even further into the floor. “... that I’m gay”. Vanity’s pride took over. She lifted her head, her eyes no more full of repressed thoughts and identifications. “I’m a fillyfooler.”         “I-I… erm… well… Vanity, wow.” Rarity wasn’t ready to speak when she did. Because of this, her words came out choppy and poorly thought out. “I… wasn’t aware of this earlier.”         Aphrodite looked completely shocked. Her baby blue eyes were wide, and sparkling. Her gaze shifted from Vanity, to Twilight, and back and forth again multiple times. Her ears twitched. Her rump must’ve been getting sore, as she subtly nabbed one of the nearest throw pillows and sat on it.         “How long have you known…?” Fluttershy asked. Even though Vanity was trying very hard not to show her true despair, Fluttershy must’ve caught on. She put a hoof on the mare’s shoulder. Vanity went back to looking at the ground.         Ennui really didn’t seem to care about the situation, or understand why it was such a big deal.         “Uhm… for a few weeks,” she replied truthfully. What she would never spill was that fact that one of her close friends was the one that made her convert, the one that urged her to become gay. Ever since they’re adventure, Vanity had been doing everything in her power to woo her, and win her affection. However, it was in vain. There was no way that Vanity was going to just up and tell her. She was usually flamboyant and proud of who she liked. Though, with her biggest crush now being a mare, she didn’t want to flaunt it around, or even let her know.         “”But… but why?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy and Rarity shot her a look, one that said “watch what you say”. Twilight immediately grew defensive--eyes growing wide when she realized just how her comment could have been perceived. “I mean… why did you convert all of a sudden? Not that I’m against same sex love--”                  Aphrodite grinned. Twilight corrected herself. “Well, most of the time.”         Aphrodite frowned.         “Just… because I felt a change in myself, okay?” Vanity said. Her short, pink mane did wonders to cover her eyes. “I just don’t see the appeal in stallions, and find myself wondering and thinking about mares more often than not.” Vanity didn’t technically lie. It wasn’t mares. It was only one.         “Good for you, Vanity, getting it off your chest,” Aphrodite beamed. “It takes guts to be able to come to all of us, and tell us something that isn’t easy to explain.” Vanity smiled back, and was pretty sure it was genuine.         “Thanks,” she uttered. “You’re all my closest friends. And I felt bad knowing that I liked mares, and was hiding it.” Wide smiles encompassed the room, accepting ones that made Vanity no longer feel afraid.         “Don’t worry,” Rarity replied. “We don’t think of you as any different. We still care about you all the same.”         It was at this moment that Aphrodite excused herself for the restroom, seeing as the situation appeared to calm down. She got up, and walked down the hall. The group could hear the door close, but nopony really noticed her disappearance.         “And as long as you don’t try to grope me in the middle of the night, I don’t mind either!” Ennui’s joking grin lit the room on fire. Vanity’s heart fluttered, and she unwillingly flared her cheeks.                  “Of course not…” she said. Vanity loved her friends, and she had never expected to find some as good as them. As prideful as she was, she had given up on the concept of friends a long time ago. She had resorted and gotten used to her depressing loneliness. She felt new. She felt absolutely renewed, like she could conquer the world.         But then the feeling was ruined. “Oh, there’s the pillow!” Ennui shouted. She reached across the circle, and grabbed the pillow that Aphrodite was sitting on just moments ago. Not stopping to think, she put the pillow under her, and slung herself face first into it.         SQUELCH.