It's Not If, It's When. It Just Ain't Now.

by Bysen

Lover

The rest of the meal had been uneventful, small banter between Scootaloo and Fluttershy. Even Dash had spoken with Big Mac and cheered up somewhat from where she'd been earlier on after telling them how she felt. Fluttershy had offered her piece of pie to Big Mac seems as he had the least, but he declined. Naturally Dash had then said that if Fluttershy didn’t want it she’d gladly take it. Which OF COURSE resulted in a nice long argument between Dash and AJ which eventually ended with Fluttershy giving her piece to Applebloom and Scootaloo while neither of them noticed.

All in all, it wasn't a bad night. Granny Smith had gone off to bed, as had Big Mac. Applejack and Applebloom where going to join them shortly. Of course it was still very early by all three pegasus’ standard, not having to wake up at dawn, so they stayed a bit longer and talked in the main living quarters.

“So Fluttershy.” Scootaloo asked. “Rainbow Dash told me you had trouble flying at my age too. Any chance you could teach me something some time?” Fluttershy didn’t reply and just looked over from Scootaloo to Dash, then back to Scootaloo. “I know what ya thinking. Rainbow can fly, but she’s a horrible teacher. She’ll just say something like ‘flap your wings’… Again.”

“Oh, I… suppose I could try. But, I don't really know what I could offer. It just kind of happened for me. When I was happy.”

“Don’t listen ta her Scootaloo” blurted out Applebloom. Again... she'd been spouting this for most of the meal, though not so bluntly as just now. “She’s just trying ta trick ya or somethin’. She’s a filly-fooler, and a liar and a…"

“That’s just about a nuffa you li’l missy!” yelled AJ as she'd finally had enough of 'youthful misguidedness' from her sister. “You’ve always loved Fluttershy. Now why the hay does any of this change how ya feel about her?”

“Because she’s a filly-fooler! And they’re all mean and evil like Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon.” Applebloom said as if her words actually meant anything. “Ain’t that right Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash, you don’t like them being tagether neither?”

“What?” responded Dash. “I never said anything like that!”

“I don’t even think Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon are even filly-foolers.” added Scootaloo.

“But… you said you didn’t like them bein’ tagether… and you said… YOU said that they were that way.”

“No… I said…” Dash stalled. She didn’t know what she had said exactly, only why she’d said it. She turned at Fluttershy and asked “I just don’t get why?”

“Be-because I love Applejack.” Fluttershy spoke up.

“That’s not what I mean. You said I was a filly-fooler. You made the others think I was… you knew I wasn’t and you knew more than anypony else how I felt about it. Then you come out yourself? How did you think that would go over? I don’t get why you would say something like that and then do it yourself! It’s mean… it’s downright evil!”

“See! Ah told ya she where evil!” added Applebloom triumphantly.

“Oh shut up.” replied Scootaloo as she turned to look back at Fluttershy. “I think I know why she did it Dash. She said it about AJ, not you. She hoped that maybe Applejack was like her so that she had a shot with her. She hoped the pony she liked would like her back. I know because…. I did the same. I’m…”

“Don’t say it kid…” said Dash, but it didn’t matter.

“I’m a filly-fooler too.”

“WHAT?!?!” scream Applebloom.

“I like Rainbow Dash ok… you were right about me.”

“Uh… ya dumb kid.” Dash sighed and face hoofed. “Ya didn’t need to tell them that.”

“Um… Dash… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… be evil. I just didn’t know what to… to um… I don’t quite know now what to do. But I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“You know, if you had just told her to begin with… she even asked me out because of what you said.” Dash turned to AJ expecting her to deny it but she didn’t so Dash just continued. “She felt guilty or something. Thought that I did want her and was just too scared to ask, so she asked me out." Dash's expression turned from some-what somber to a cocky grin. "I flat out dumped her!” Dash said proudly. Before returning to her serious-concerned tone “I’m not sure… but I’m sure she did something like that with you I bet. If you had just told her you were a filly-fooler sooner…”

“But… I’m not.” said Fluttershy. Confusing all in present company.

“Yer… not?” asked AJ.

“No. I mean… filly-fooler implies that I like mares. All mares. I don’t. I only like Applejack. I don’t think that makes me a filly-fooler. I just think it makes me in love with somepony I care for. I mean… that’s how… that’s how I see it.”

“Ya know Sug. Ah feel the same way.”

“You really mean that?” asked Applebloom. “Is that how you feel too Scootaloo?” Applebloom asked. She wanted her to say yes. It was just self-justification but if Scootaloo didn’t see herself as a filly-fooler than Applebloom had no reason to hate her.

“No… I like Rainbow Dash… I like how she looks, but I also kinda like Cheerilee, Diamond Tiara and even Snips and Snails… and they’re colts! I don’t know what I am! And I don’t need you being a bitch about me trying to make me say what I’m not! That loud and proud stuff? I’m loud but I’m far form proud and… and it’s jerk like you who I thought where my friends who make it that way!” Scootaloo half-yelled. Not quite crying but feeling a soreness in her throat that meant she was close. “Please, just… please don’t tell Sweetie Belle.”

“Why shouldn’t I? She has a right to know that her friend is some sneaky liar who’s been a filly-fooler this whole time!”

“Because I like her too!”

“Do… do you like me too?”

“You really want me to answer? You’ll be hurt if I say no and it’ll be worse if I say yes.”

“Tell me!”

“How ‘bout I tell you to go rut yourself!” Scootaloo yelled as she ran out of the main room. She didn’t really know where she was running to but she ran anyway. Eventually she found spot in the kitchen she could just sit in. Nopony came after her, or maybe they just didn’t find her, she was mostly hidden from view in her corner.

Eventually she heard AJ, louder than ever yelling at Applebloom “Ah don’t care! Yur grounded fer a month!”

“No.” said Scootaloo loudly from where she was, though AJ could only just hear her. “Don’t ground her over me, please.” Applejack was a little surprised to hear this. Even if she knew her sister was just spilling hate out of school-yard misinformation, it hurt her to see her sister was capable of even being that mean at all. And what Scootaloo said next made it even harder. “I’m leaving soon… I wanna spend as much of that time with her and Sweetie Belle. Please don’t take that away from me Applejack.”

“What makes you think I even wanna hang around a sicko like you?”

“Ya know Applebloom, if ah weren’t yur sister, ah’d have half a mind ta beat you senseless right now!”

“Ya know I got no problem with beating her senseless….” added Dash crudely as she walked past them both and into the kitchen. She saw Scootaloo, still not crying but clearly only because she was holding it back. “You alright kiddo?” Dash asked as she sat down beside her.

They could hear AJ yelling at her sister in the background but didn’t pay any attention to it. She’d feared losing her friends after she left, now she had lost one before then. “You know, you’re no better than her Rainbow.” Scootaloo said without looking at her. “You said you didn’t like that they were together.”

“I never said that?”

“Yeah you did. I don’t remember what exactly, but you said you were sorry to AJ but not Fluttershy and that it didn’t change how you felt about them being with each other." Scootaloo looked directly into her idol's eyes as a tear finally escaped. "You. Suck!” it probably didn’t sound like much to Dash but to Scootaloo it was the harshest thing she could think to say at the time.

“Listen Scoots…”

“Don’t call me that. And stop calling me kid or kiddo or whatever! I have a name and you could at least remember it!”

“Fine… listen Scootaloo. I don’t like them being together. But that doesn’t mean I’m not happy for them. Fluttershy’s my oldest friend and AJ’s just as much a friend too. I’m glad Fluttershy’s found somepony that even I trust to be with her. And I’m glad AJ found somepony as kind as Fluttershy. They’re good for each other. I can tell. I bet you can see it too. I bet even Applebloom can see it.”

“She hates me though…”

“Who, Applebloom? She’s just stupid. She says she hates you right now but she also says she hates her sister and we both know that ain’t true.”

“I just… screw her. Screw everypony! I just wanna go home.”

“You sure ki… Scootaloo?”

“Yeah. I don’t wanna be here at least.” Scootaloo stood up, looked at Dash for a moment before heading out of the kitchen. Applebloom wasn’t in the main area anymore and AJ was holding an obviously crying Fluttershy, her face buried into AJ’s neck. Dash hadn’t been listening to what had been said outside of the kitchen but now wished she had.

“I think it’s about time me and Scootaloo get going. Are you two ok?”

“Yeah RD, we’ll be fine. You make sure she gets home safe alright.”

"Yeah I will." Dash said casually before turning to Applejack. "Oh and AJ, one thing.” Dash said as she pressed right up against her, scrunching her face up and being as serious as possible. “If you EVER do anything to hurt my oldest friend, I will… do… something! And you won’t like what that is!”

“I won’t Dash… I love her. I won’…” Dash cut her off putting her hoof in AJ’s mouth.

“That’s all I needed to hear. Take good care of her. And… congrats? I guess. I don’t know…” Dash said with a laugh.

“Th-thank you, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said as she pulled away from AJ to stand beside her. “I’m sorry, about all of this. I, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just um… wanted to know if…”

“Relax Fluttershy, I get it… sorta… not really. I ain’t a psychologist or anything but I know you didn’t wanna hurt me. Look, ok… I’m ganna be pissed at you two for a while so don’t expect anything better than this. But I’m happy for you. I really am. You wanna know what the best part is? Tomorrow… I get to deal with Rarity asking me if I’m jealous… because I can guarantee that what she’s thinking right now. Same with Twilight… and I won’t even try to figure out Pinkie Pie’s thinking about anymore but I bet there’s something about me.”

“You’re probably right. Again… I’m sorry. And thank you… again.”

“Don’t sweat it. Anyway. Good night you two.”

“See ya’s ‘round sometime.”

“Yes, goodbye you two.” they both greeted as Dash and Scootaloo left. Even though Applebloom was being an annoying little brat, had herself mad at two of her closest friends and Scootaloo was still on the verge of crying, Dash smiled as she left. She thought only one thing: that everypony had left now… everypony expect Fluttershy.

Who was staying the night with her lover.

Author's Note:

'Please don’t take that away from me' I got glassy eyed re-reading that...

Anyway, story's not over but the main AppleShy conflict part is resolved.
They've come out and everypony has mostly accepted them.

Comments

[Matt11]

good chapter

[Screw]

This chapter just feels like... Apple Bloom got into a semi-drunk rage or something... Its not like her to act way out of character.