Chapter 13: The Peer Response
The Peer Response
Flying High, Falling Hard by soundslikeponies
Crickets chirped in the night, and, for a moment, that was the only sound in the grassy field that the six ponies stood in. Twilight looked around at her friends, anxiously waiting for one of them to speak. They were silent, their mouths hanging open in shock, as Dash walked to stand by Twilight’s side.
“Erm, did Ah hear you right?” Applejack asked, adjusting her hat. "This here isn’t one of Dash's pranks, is it?"
"No, it's not." Dash huffed in annoyance. She turned and kissed Twilight on the cheek as a show of proof to their friends.
Twilight blushed in embarrassment, but didn’t made any move to stop her.
"Twilight and I are dating," Dash said slowly, making eye contact with each of them.
Rarity stepped forward with a broad smile on her face. "That's wonderful news darling! Oh, I'm so happy for you two!"
Twilight blinked in surprise as Rarity walked up to her and gave her a warm hug. “You are?”
Rarity ignored her and cupped her cheek. “Of course.” She paused and glanced at Rainbow Dash. "Oh and you two are so adorable together as well!" Rarity said, breaking the embrace and giving Twilight a sincere smile.
Pinkie Pie bounded up to Dash and threw a hoof around her shoulders. "Congrats Dash!” she shouted right next to the pegasus’ ear. “You know, I always secretly thought you batted for the other team!"
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing! I think it's super fantastic you and Twilight are together. I mean, it makes sense since you're already such good friends! You know, I never thought about dating another mare. What's it like?"
Dash gave Pinkie Pie a queer look, but she was saved from having to answer by Twilight.
"Fluttershy?... Applejack?" Twilight asked hesitantly, seeing how the two of them had stayed quiet throughout the whole thing.
“So you two together, huh?” Applejack adjusted her hat down over her eyes. “That’s, erm... definitely somethin’ there.”
Fluttershy looked at the ground, avoiding Twilight's gaze. "I'm happy for you two, I guess. It's just sort of strange." Fluttershy gave Twilight a sidelong glance, winced from the hurt expression Twilight had. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I just find filly-foolers weird."
Rarity turned to Fluttershy and her eyes narrowed. "Fluttershy, that is a completely inappropriate way to describe two mares in a relationship! I never would have thought you of all ponies would be so—"
"That's enough, Rarity!" Twilight shouted, halting her friend. "Listen, I don't want this to cause any divides in our friendship. I was so worried about breaking up our friendship when we told you all about this—in fact, that's why I ran away in the first place! I was so worried about losing my friends over this, that I just ran away." Twilight gave all her friends a pleading look. "Can we please not let whatever differences we have come between us?"
"Ah'll try to Twilight,” Applejack said, taking off her hat and placing it over her heart. “It's just that two mares together ain't natural. The biology doesn't add up and whatnot." She reached out to rest a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. "It don't bother me enough for us to stop being friends," she said, and Fluttershy nodded in agreement beside her.
"Yeah, well it bothers me that you think it's wrong!" Rainbow Dash interjected. She gave Applejack and Fluttershy a dirty look. "I can't believe you two! Out of everypony, I was so sure you two would be accepting of us! I've known you both longer than anyone else in Ponyville!"
Twilight placed a hoof on Dash’s chest. "Dash, please—"
“Listen, Rainbow, it’s not like we’re gonna object to you two being together,” Applejack said as she fixed Dash with a stern look. “We’re just doin’ the honest thing, and that’s voicin’ the fact that this is a lot to take in, and that it sits us a bit on the edge of our saddles.”
“Edge of what saddle?” Dash barked, pushing against the hoof Twilight had on her chest. “What kind of a friend wouldn’t be happy for us?”
Applejack recoiled as though struck. “I...”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re supposed to be honest.” Dash crossed her hooves in front of her chest, and looked at Applejack in disappointment. “But what about being loyal. I thought you were that, too.”
Applejack opened and closed her mouth several times, but no words came out so she simply closed her mouth and swallowed.
"I'm sorry Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice and gaze softening. “I just don't think I can accept this." She turned back to Fluttershy and Applejack, and her eyes narrowed. "I need to leave before I say or do something I'll regret later." Dash took off before Twilight could say anything, and flew to the library to cool off.
The five of them stood there, a silent void filling the air after Dash left, and they all glanced at each other, none of them exactly sure what to say.
Fluttershy hesitantly broke the silence. "I'm sorry," she said, her eyes still glued to the same patch of grass on the ground. "I'll... I’ll try to get used to the idea of you two being together, but I might struggle with it for a little while."
“Ah guess Ah know now who that apple dinner I made Rainbow was for,” Applejack said. “Ah still hope you two enjoyed it, regardless.”
“We did,” Twilight said, trying to give her friend a reassuring smile. “Thank you.”
"Ah think we should just go, Fluttershy,” Applejack said somberly as she stepped up beside the pegasus. “Twilight should probably get goin’ after Dash."
“Listen, I’m really sorry about the way she acted,” Twilight said.
“No need to apologize, hun. I know how she can be sometimes.” Applejack gave Twilight a weak smile. “You two take care now,” she said, turning and walking away.
Fluttershy gave one last apologetic glance at Twilight, before leaving with Applejack.
Rarity walked over to Twilight’s side. "I'm dreadfully sorry things turned out the way they did,” she said sincerely, “but know that you and Rainbow have my support."
Twilight sighed. "It's alright Rarity. I prepared myself for the worst." She looked up at the night sky. "I'm sorry I made you all chase me around, but it's late now, and we should all probably just head home."
Rarity nodded in agreement. She and Pinkie bid Twilight farewell and walked home, leaving the Unicorn in the grassy field with only the moon and stars to accompany her.
Although she knew it was far from over, she was glad the night was coming to a close. The backs of her friends disappeared over the hills back towards town, and Twilight sighed as she tried to think of what to do about Dash.
With the day not getting any younger, Twilight glanced back down the hill to the Library; Dash was still waiting for her, and Twilight had no doubts that the pegasus would still be upset by the time she got there. Letting out a sigh, she began trotting back to the library, hoping Dash would be alright after the whole catastrophe.
Spitfire sat in a pegasus-drawn carriage on the way to Ponyville. A few suitcases full of luggage and a saddlebag sat opposite her. It was a bit foolish doing all this for a crush, but the title 'Captain of the Wonderbolts' came with more bits than she knew what to do with, so a vacation wasn't exactly burning a hole in her pocket. If nothing else, she might learn something about flying from the mare she came here to find.
The worst part about chasing the crush, aside from the Wonderbolts practices she ruined and the spontaneous leave she took, was that Twilight was already with Rainbow Dash. There wasn’t room for her, and she didn’t know what she was thinking. When Rainbow Dash had been with Twilight after the competition, she had seen the way the two were together. She honestly wanted to see the two of them happy together, and it left her conflicted.
The carriage jolted, bringing Spitfire out of her thoughts. Glancing out the window, she saw the cottage she would be staying in. She grabbed the lantern next to her on the seat, and opened the door to the carriage to take a better look at the house. It was built in the same style the rest of the Ponyville houses were, with straw thatched roofing stretching over its two story tall white-washed walls.
The two pegasi who were pulling the carriage grabbed her things from the back trunk and brought them to the door of the house. Spitfire nodded her thanks as they placed her things on the doorstep.
Tentatively, she opened the front door and stepped inside. The door opened right up to the living room, which had an open kitchen off to the right. The house wasn't as big or great as she was used to, but it was good in its own quaint way. Walking over to the living room fireplace, she placed a few logs on it and struck a match to light it.
She was already beginning to like her stay in Ponyville.
Twilight opened the library door to see that the place had grown dark and cold in her absence. She could faintly see Rainbow Dash across the room lying on a couch with her hooves crossed, glaring daggers at an arbitrarily chosen spot on the wall.
"I'm starting to think you were right, that we shouldn't have told them." Rainbow Dash didn't look at Twilight. Her hairs bristled, and her stare was fixed on the bookshelf in front of her.
Twilight trotted over to the fireplace and levitated a pair of logs into it. Her horn glowed with magic, illuminating the room for a moment and setting the logs ablaze. She stood in front of the fireplace, letting out a relaxed sigh as the warmth spread through her. "You were right originally, Dash." She stared at the flames as she spoke.
Dash was turned away from her, and Twilight could tell she was trying to avoid directing any of her anger at her.
Twilight’s horn glowed as she lit a few candles around the room, trying to usher the dark out. "Not telling them wasn't really an option if we wanted to still be their friends and still continue to be together."
"I know, but I just can't believe that Fluttershy and Applejack of all ponies! I trusted those two the most!" Dash's voice lost some of its bite, replaced by sadness. "I thought they were my friends. And I thought they would be accepting of us being together."
"They’re still your friends, Rainbow. They're just a little weirded out at the moment by our confession. How would you feel if you suddenly found out Rarity and Pinkie Pie were together?"
“Rarity and Pinkie Pie?” Dash asked, and snorted. “Now that would be weird.”
Twilight left the fireplace, and went to the couch where Dash was on her back, looking up at the ceiling. She lay down next to her and wrapped her hooves around Dash's side as she closed her eyes and rested her head on Dash's shoulder. "Fluttershy and Applejack both said it wasn't going to stop them from being our friends."
"I know, but that doesn't mean their reaction won't stop me from not being their friends."
Twilight's eyes opened, and she sat up to look at Dash. "Dash, you can't possibly mean that!"
Dash's ears flattened against her head and she looked away from the other pony. "Maybe, maybe not," she replied. "I can tell you one thing for sure: if I do decide to forgive them, it won't be any time soon."
"Just please promise me you'll try," Twilight asked, giving Dash a pleading look.
Dash let out a reluctant sigh. "Fine."
Twilight beamed at her, gave her a kiss on the cheek thanking her, and cuddled against her side. The two watched the fireplace from the couch, listening to the sounds of the firewood crackling as it burned.
"Hey, Twilight?"
"Yes, Dash?"
"I thought you said you didn't have a couch?"
Twilight's eyes opened, and she blinked at Dash. "Oh. Well, yesterday got me thinking, and I decided to get one," she answered, nuzzling back into Dash's shoulder and closing her eyes again.
"I'm glad you did. It's comfy." Dash prodded the cushions, testing just how much her hoof sank into them. She let out a relaxed sigh, sinking into the couch as she wrapped a hoof around the mare clinging to her side. "In fact, let's just spend tonight right here. Like this."
Twilight nodded as she closed her eyes once more, nuzzling her cheek against Dash’s shoulder.
Spitfire lay awake in her bed despite having spent hours trying to sleep. She kept on replaying the memory she had of Rainbow Dash blowing away the Best Young Flier competition. The mare had seemed cool enough when they had talked. Spitfire had given her a small confidence boosting speech she gave reporters each time she was asked if she got nervous while performing.
She couldn't help but feel that Wonderbolts practice was hollow and empty after that show. As though the flight team was stuck at a ceiling, unable to advance any further. A gut instinct she had told her Rainbow Dash would be the answer to breaking through that ceiling.
The fact that Rainbow Dash was downright hot helped her attraction to the mare, too.
Spitfire closed her eyes again, trying to get at least some sleep. She had to go find Dash tomorrow, after all.
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I was supposed to add ~500 words but wound up deleting 200 while doing that.
Oh well.
One step closer to writing more of Equestria from Dust.
Now I just need to finish the four way sex scene with Carrot Top, Rarity, Twilight, and May Flower in my other fic, and I can get started on parts 4 and 5 of Equestria from Dust, and finally publish the damn thing.
1162911
I kinda wanna read Equestria from Dust, if it's as high caliber as your current stories.
Doo eet
EDIT: First? How long ago was this posted?
I feel a epic and tragic impact of feeling and emotion about to happen
I am well I don't know... Guess I'll have to wait till I see the next chapter.
1163287
Not more than 2 hours after you commented that I think.
WHAT!? Applejack and 'Shy! WHY? This is worse (I hope) than Spitfire (at the moment at least). Well at least everything is fine with Twi and Dash it seems and that is good. Great chapter as always and of course I cant wait for more!
Amazing dude, looking forward to the next chapter!
I'm not sure if I like where this is heading
im liking the twist with Aj and 'shy. however i must say F*CK you Spitifre!
1162911
...don't toy with me, man. It's not cool to get one's hopes up like that if you're not going to deliver.
Wat?
so much tension. i have no idea how this is going to end
1162911
i49.tinypic.com/2a60707.jpg
Man, even though it's my what? 3rd or 4th time with this story (I re-read what you had like 2-3 times before you took em down) I still find it sad during these next few chapters. I'm dreading yet anxious to see it again
1163576
pretty sure it's trolling
"I know, but that doesn't mean their reaction won't stop me from being their friends."
Requires another "not". Currently, it is a double negative, meaning that she'd still be their friends regardless of opinion.
"Walking over to the living room fireplace, she placed a few logs on it and struck a match to light it."
That doesn't make sense; wouldn't it be more efficient for her to just set it aflame with her hair?
Also, can you imagine how cool controllable (On/Off or some sort of dial for heat/fire amount) fire hair would be?
You could light someone('s house [or neighborhood]) aflame and claim it was an accident.
Oh, Spitfire. You foalish foal, you. I do hope Dash will turn you down, or else I will reap Luna's wrath upon you! YOU HATH BEEN WARNED, FOALISH MORTAL!!!
I swear to Celestia Spitfire, if you fuck this up, you will be hunted down. Consider this a warning.
Is all my favorite stories being updated today? Lol, the only two left are If You Hear Me, Let Me Know and Aurora. Lets read this!
Spitfire, if you fuck this up, then it looks like Pinkie Pie will have to make some fiery cupcakes.
1162911
Don't play with my emotions like that!
I already know what's going to happen, but that's because I read it when it was originally coming out.
Gahh! It's so hard to resist spoiling the rest of the story!
1163782
"I know, but that doesn't mean their reaction won't stop me from being their friends."
Requires another "not". Currently, it is a double negative, meaning that she'd still be their friends regardless of opinion.
Noope. I don't want to lose contact with friends I made where I used to live, but that doesn't mean we won't fall out of contact anyway. In both cases the implication is that the X in "won't X" is likely to happen. Still applies if you expand everything into more formal speech -- do not, does not, will not.
The 'but' in this context is the "missing" negation: but (meaning expansion)-> 'and not'. The sentence therefore contains a triple negative, which is functionally equivalent to a single negative.
1164803
Stop out grammaring me, I'm getting confuzzed.
>.>
I kinda want this to be true.
AJ and Fluttershy's reaction wasn't that bad, but with Dash I guess it means more. Awkwardness to come for those three, in spades.
Then Spitfire comes along, falls in love with AJ, and then they all stop being so homophobic. THE END.
e.asset.soup.io/asset/3174/8558_6d2a.gif
I liked it. I mean, I'm really nervous (I guess that's the word I want) about the whole Spitfire thing. I swear, if Dash cheats on Twi, it's going to get bad. AJ and Shy sorta surprised me, but not that much. I always figured if any of the group were against fillyfoolers it would be Rarity and AJ (and maybe Twi). But yeah, I love it and I can't wait for more. This is just an epic story and...have a Scoot.
I HATE KNOWING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SAY ANYTHING!
Fuck Applejack and Flutterbitch
I'm having some fun reading the story again. Albeit, I can't help but miss the part with all of the mane six giving advice to Rainbow Dash on love in chapter 4. Not to mention a small detail in chapter 5. Even if it was a tad soap operaish, It felt that much more worse to me when Rainbow was left alone eating the remainder of the pie they shared.
Like she had been broken down and defeated. 
I'm loving this chapter just like the others. I did notice that you didn't have Fluttershy capitallized at one point. I can't provide you the sentence because I can only use my iPod at the moment but cntrl + f should make it easy enough to find. Keep up the good work!
Two minor errors:
"Rarity turned to fluttershy and her eyes narrowed."
The "f" in "fluttershy" needs to be capitalized.
"She could faintly see Rainbow Dash across the room lying on a couch with her hooves crossed, glaring daggers at an arbitrarily chosen spot on the wall.
[...] and her stare was fixed on the bookshelf in front of her."
I suppose she could have changed where she was looking within that small gap of time, but it seems like a slight discrepancy to me.
Also:
"Pinkie Pie bounded up to Dash and threw a hoof around her shoulders. "Congrats Dash!” she shouted right next to the pegasus’ ear. “You know, I always secretly thought you batted for the other team!"
[...]
Dash gave Pinkie Pie a queer look, but she was saved from having to answer by Twilight."
I see what you did there.
I find my self really enjoying this story. When I first looked at it I thought 'meh why not?' then I started actually reading it and could not stop until the end. Great story I will be eagerly looking forward to the next chapter, and I will even be looking through all of your other stories.
This is my favourite chapter of the entire fic
I remember liking this the first time I read it too. I love how the author dared to make AJ and FS not be so approving, like everypony always so predictably are in shipfics.
...why is it always Spitfire that causes trouble with a Dash shipfic?
Well, this is getting interesting... Lets hope it ends well
I have a feeling that the next chapter is going to make me angry...
It's gonna be a mess of mares
I remember just how much I loved this section of the story while reading it. It gets pretty eventful, but you make it all happen so smoothly. Great work.
This is definitely my favorite Twidash fic and I'm now reading it for the second time and i gotta say i like the rewrite version just as much if not more than the first time through. But i was curious if there was anyway i can get to the chapters after 13 or if they are gone till you rewrite them.
1166203
Me too :c
We need moar...
"Rainbow Dash gave Pinkie Pie a queer look"
My stealth pun detectors are going off
You know, I expected Applejack's hesitation, but not Fluttershy's.
I call bullshit on the reactions. They were blown FAR too out of proportions.
Applejack, I can get her. Her reaction? I think it was out of character for her.
But FLUTTERSHY? HER? That just seems... I have no words.
And then Spitfire... Yikes. That will not end well.
~Skeeter The Lurker
Sorry to disappoint, Spitfire, she's taken.
3081199 I think Their reactions make plenty sense. Applejack was not only raised on a farm (farmers are usually socially conservative), she was raised by her grandmother (thus her home environment is one whole generation back from a already conservative setting.) It would take Equestria to make that kind of pony so accepting (usually).
Fluttershy's is a bit less straightforward, but it does make plenty sense. Aside from her animal friends ((genetic homosexuality in animals is extremely rare for obvious reasons)), she only seems to associate with her friends and whoever sells her animal feed. For her to be weirded out by something she has likely never encountered before (the fact that 100% of the library's romance novels are hetero might be a strong indicator for Equestria's publishing as a whole), makes it naturally strange to her.
3081199 I think Their reactions make plenty sense. Applejack was not only raised on a farm (farmers are usually socially conservative), she was raised by her grandmother (thus her home environment is one whole generation back from a already conservative setting.) It would take Equestria to make that kind of pony so accepting (usually).
Fluttershy's is a bit less straightforward, but it does make plenty sense. Aside from her animal friends ((genetic homosexuality in animals is extremely rare for obvious reasons)), she only seems to associate with her friends and whoever sells her animal feed. For her to be weirded out by something she has likely never encountered before (the fact that 100% of the library's romance novels are hetero might be a strong indicator for Equestria's publishing as a whole), makes it naturally strange to her.
Either Twilight will be heartbroken,or Spitfire would be broken(probably not both).The sense of inevitable pain...I lack the specific emoticon to express this feeling.
smart move with the couch