The Truth About Girls (Vol. 2)

by TheMareWhoSaysNi

Welfare Boy (Part 1)

Rainbow Dash wrapped her arms around Soarin’s shoulders, and put her chin against his chest, throwing a glance at the shadows his lashes projected against his cheeks. Was he sleeping or just pretending so? He was a high-level athlete, used to intense practices and sporting endurance… In no way their little warm-up could have exhausted him.

To be sure, she scratched the skin at the base of his neck, and immediately, her boyfriend opened up his eyes and gently slapped her hand. The young woman laughed and rolled on her side, her back falling against the messy sheets.

It felt good to relax a bit since the last two weeks had been particularly restless. After she had helped Octavia to escape the claws of a sexual predator, after she had been attacked with a knife by a former classmate, though the latter also was a victim, she had seen her group of friends, one of the rarest solid anchorage of her life, being divided with Fluttershy’s decision to step back.

The girls and her did their best not to show the young woman how dismayed they were. They were aware that behaving all too affected would only increase her feelings of guilt, and at the same time, they also thought that displaying cheerfulness without her by their side could make her believe she was in no way irreplaceable.

It was very complicated for them, caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

It would have happened two years earlier, Rainbow Dash would have been crushed. Thankfully, she now had another pillar in her life in the person of Soarin and it didn’t seem to be about the crumble. Conversely, the more they spent time together, the more their bond was reinforced.

She had always thought that falling in love with a friend was exactly what she needed. Not only because she was unable to feel attraction in any other way, but also because it made everything easier.

There hadn’t been any “honeymoon phase” between them. They already knew what were each other’s ugly flaws and sides. They knew their reactions and bad habits by heart. And both saw romance the same way: a certain sense of independence and autonomy was necessary. They hated to be considered as one and only entity. They wanted to protect and save their respective identity. “Us” would never supplant “I”.

When they happened to talk about the future, it never was about planning everything with a well-defined time frame. What would happen, it would happen in due time. They had their own lives to build first and this detail was a very important one.

They rather be together without further questions and they were acting by instinct. This way, they enjoyed their time together best. Just like the moment they were sharing right now.

Sex in itself didn’t take much room in the relationship, to which they favored sensuality and liked to experience physical intimacy in another way. At first, Rainbow Dash was scared Soarin would grow wary, but he seemed to be satisfied of the way things were working between them, since the lack of sexual intercourses didn’t mean a complete lack of pleasure.

They kissed a bit numbly because of the late time, and Rainbow Dash slipped closer in order to nestle her head against the pit of his neck. Each time they were together this way, she felt as if freed from chains tight around her feet. With him, no need to have sleeping pills to fall asleep, and even in the case when one of her nightmares would catch her back, she knew she would get comfort in his arms.

“I love this smell”, she said while sniffing his skin, her face buried against his neck. “What’s the fragrance?”

He smelled like sandalwood and vanilla.

“My shower gel.”

“Well, don’t change anything.”

“Usually in movies, the male character is the one saying the female character smells good.”

“Truth is stranger than fiction. By the way, sometimes, it’s quite pity… At least, in movies, most of the time there’s a happy end.”

“Still worried about Fluttershy?”

Her head still buried against his neck, she outlined a bittersweet smile. Soarin knew her well. Even when she was doing her best not to show anything, he always guessed when something bothered her. It was a challenge for her and especially for her rather misplaced pride. It was hard to act tough in front of someone who could read under your sarcasms and shrugs.

“In reality, I’m tired… I wish I had a break with dramas…”

Soarin opened his mouth, ready to tell her she needed to learn how to let go the control she forced on herself. If she couldn’t do it, she would never be able to fully make the most of the benefits offered to her. She probably was a bit scared of what she would show of herself… For obvious reasons.

He couldn’t do so. Rainbow Dash’s phone started to ring, and the young woman got off his embrace in order to grab her phone which she’d put on the bedside table.

“Hello? Pinkie?”

Indeed, the name on the screen was her friend’s. It was almost 11 P.M, and Rainbow Dash thought the teenage girl would never call so late if she didn’t really need her help.

“Yes, that’s me. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all”, she replied, sitting on the edge of the bed.

She looked around her, trying to spot where her underwear was but couldn’t lean over to get it. Soarin had sat as well and had emerged behind her, his both arms wrapped around her waist, his mouth running along her neck.

For all that, she didn’t try to rebuff him. His body against hers released the necessary heat for her not to shrill.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well…”

Pinkie Pie paused over the phone, and it seemed to her friend that she heard her sighing discouragingly.

“Fluttershy… Do you think she isolated herself because of me? In relation to Big Mac. You know, sometimes I’m a bit silly, so maybe… I haven’t realized and…”

“Wow, I know what you’re going to say. And the answer is no. In no moment have you let Big Mac believe anything. Got to stop now with the hints of unconscious rape culture.”

It was quite ironic that while she was saying those words, her boyfriend was busy running his hands anywhere he could on her upper body. As if it were a game.

Well, alright, it definitely was a game. And it was nothing but fair reward since she had distracted him the same way, a bit earlier tonight, while the young man was sitting at his desk and imagining strategies for the next Wondercolt game.

“But… If there hadn’t been this story with Big Mac, maybe Fluttershy wouldn’t be standing her own ground right now… And we’d still be seven.”

“Pinkie, it isn’t your fault, got it? You’re not the blame for their story’s strange turn. Stop fretting.”

Yes, this sentimental conflict had been the trigger of Fluttershy’s distance, yet Pinkie Pie had played no conscious role in this. According to Rainbow Dash, the problem came from Big Macintosh who could have been more consistent in his feelings, instead of heading into a love affair built with a base made of clay.

“Are you sure?” Pinkie Pie asked again, with a voice still tainted with doubts.

“Stop playing with my tits!”

“What?”

“Sorry, I was speaking to Soarin…”

“Oh, I see. I’m hanging up. You’re busy. Thanks for listening.”

“No, wait, Pinkie Pie… She hung up.”

It didn’t take much insight to spot the young woman’s lack of trust in the words she had said in order to comfort her. Yet she really meant them. Deep down, Rainbow Dash wanted to help Pinkie Pie, so she stopped feeling guilty about something that, anyway, would probably have happened.

If only she hadn’t been so distracted… Now her best friend would think she couldn’t care less about her pain, although it was the opposite.

Annoyed – but not angry – she grabbed the big pillow against which Soarin’s head had rested a bit earlier, and struck his head several time with it. The young man sheltered himself with his arms, and was laughing at the same time, perfectly aware there was nothing serious in the irritated way she behaved.

“Hey! Don’t you know this was important?!”

“I only wanted you to chill a little.”

“I’m not kidding”, she said, throwing the pillow behind her.

“Neither am I.”

Soarin put his both hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.

“Relieve the pressure on.”

“You don’t understand. Pinkie Pie needs me… and she’s always here for me when I need her. It’s a matter of principles.”

“But I do understand.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like you do.”

Of course, she could as well call Pinkie Pie back, apologize and resume their conversation, but now the young woman knew she was with her boyfriend, Rainbow Dash also knew she would never speak naturally and she would do her best to shorten the discussion.

She sighed, while staring at the white ceiling. Soon, this image was replaced by Soarin’s face above her. His hair wasn’t like usually, but messy from their previous embraces. Even this way, he was handsome…

What she liked best about his face probably was his eyes, of a deep green like she’d never seen before. When these eyes looked at her this way, as if she was the most attractive person breathing on earth, she couldn’t help but think how lucky she was. And how much she loved him.

-------------------------------------------------------

Around them, the canteen seemed to be restless. Once again, Pinkie Pie had been summoned by Principal Celestia in the Events Committee Room. Everybody more or less guessed what it meant: since this wasn’t about the organization of the upcoming Prom Ball, it meant it was about the other event they all were waiting for.

However, among all this noisy flurry of excitement, Rainbow Dash muffled a yawn behind her hand, half-lying in front of her tray filled with zucchinis, yellow pepper and mashed sweet potatoes.

Something her friends could only notice. Although it was true she never refused a good nap, generally she showed no sign of laziness or bore in front of food. Especially not when she constrained herself to a diet even stricter than usually.

Fact she displayed such hints of tiredness in public had something a bit scary. It could mean she hadn’t slept well on the previous night, because of an insomnia or a nightmare, which wasn’t something rare about her but never occurred good things to come.

“Are you OK, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight questioned. “You look… flatter than usually.”

“The bags under yar eyes are browner than the groceries’!”

“Yeah, I know”, she sighed. “I’ve slept at Soarin’s and forgot my concealer home.”

“Ah. When something like this happens, drink two glasses of water still lying. This way, water you’d have stored during the night is going to be suppressed more easily. It helps pupils to get decongested.”

“Did Rarity teach you this?”

“No. Science.”

Sunset Shimmer expected Rainbow Dash or even Applejack to rub it in, and it to lead to their usual teasing… It didn’t happen. Like each time ever since Fluttershy had decided to step back and think about their friendship.

As always, one single absence was enough to unsettle the whole mechanics of the group. Yet, she knew it, conversely to Applejack, Twilight or Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy was a part of this group only since one year ago, a little before herself. The team already might have had its own way to work before she stepped into their lives.

It probably was because this separation, though supposedly not endless, hurt their feelings. Their mood was a bit sunnier than when they thought they could lose one of them forever, nevertheless she could easily sense a sadness from the fact Fluttershy was in the same room, but not by their side.

Hoping it would help to lighten the atmosphere, Sunset Shimmer made up her mind about asking Rainbow Dash a question which had burned her lips for a while now. Of course, it was a bit embarrassing, but her friend had already told her things more shameful.

“I was wondering… If this is too intrusive, just tell me. Did you do it with Soarin?”

“Of course”, Rainbow Dash answered, shrugging. “It doesn’t happen all the time, but sometimes it can happen. Also, last night…”

She leaned over and whispered something to Sunset Shimmer who gasped when she heard the secret, not in a way that could make believe she was shocked, but rather surprised that Rainbow Dash, so little invested in everything sexual, had no problem confessing it to her.

“Was it good?”

“Makes you sing the national anthem.”

“Hey, could ya speak ‘bout something else, please?”

“Yes, AJ and I don’t necessarily want to hear such things.”

“But you heard nothing.”

“But we guessed.”

“Don’t act so Belle of the South! You’ll come to it eventually.”

“Surely but not tomorrow.”

“I thought you weren’t a sex person”, Twilight told her, shaking a fry under her nose.

“I’m not. I’m a Soarin person.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

Once again, the squabble stopped here. It had to be noted that, though the jousts had sounded more like what they usually were, no one got riled up. It was like a cake lacking soda which didn’t rise at the baking.

“You have to admit that the mood isn’t the same.”

They all sighed and took a glimpse a little further, where Fluttershy was eating on her own, slower than usually.

Thankfully, before too much gloominess settled, Pinkie Pie arrived, along with Muffin, who sometimes meddled with the gang. Her presence was like a sweet breeze turning their heart away from the harsh reality.

Though they all knew the young woman was also very moved by the fact Fluttershy wanted to be away for some time, not to show and not to worry them, Pinkie Pie was behaving in a way even more effusive and bouncy than usually.

“You’ll never guess! Clubs Festival’s this weekend!”

“Oh… I think everyone guessed, in fact, Pinkie Pie”, Muffin shyly intervened.

Of course, it made the person in question laugh… And even if, that was a fact, everyone could guess, the official announcement of this great news made the group smile again. They needed it.

The Club Fair, which happened at the beginning of each year, was a campaign for the various extracurricular activities offered by Canterlot High School, intended for the ninth graders. Conversely, the Clubs Festival was designed for every classes, and also for potential sponsors. It allowed to raise funds in order to secure a better financing for the years to come. It was one of the most popular traditions of this school, and like a lot of the events happening along the year, it made Middle School students want to become freshmen in CHS.

The mood was casual. Students of various clubs, divided in stands they built at many different spots in the yard, planned original activities in the hope they would garner the biggest crowd. There was a contest and the winners would get a trophy which would proudly stay in the room of the club during the next year.

Like each time it was about a competition, Rainbow Dash already was ready to go into battle. This year would be the year of the Sports Department, she was certain. Especially if she had the Queen of Extravaganzas with her, aka Pinkie Pie.

“I’m going to participate with the baking club”, the curly pink-haired teenage girl claimed proudly. “We’re going to bake the hugest of all Wedding Cakes and so, we’re going to be in the Guinness Book of Records!”

A decision which didn’t please everyone around this table.

“Pinkie! The baking club? What about the Lacrosse female team? How could you do this to me? I mean, to us…”

“Plus, Ah don’t know if ya know but a Weddin’ Cake means there’s a weddin’ around.”

“Or a baking contest. And the Clubs Festival is, first and foremost, a context. I’m hyper motivated!”

“Traitor!” Rainbow Dash hurled, sticking her tongue out at her.

“Don’t worry”, Sunset Shimmer told her, patting her shoulders. “I’ll participate with you for the Sports Department.”

“So will Ah”, Applejack added. “Am part of no club but since Ah can borrow anything Ah want to the Sports Department; Ah think there’s goin’ to be no problem.”

“Yes! The two of you plus me are going to beat the crap out of Pinkie’s Domestic Arts Department!”

“Don’t underestimate the power of a good baking”, she replied, her mouth filled with brownie.

“You stand no chance against the Science Department, anyway.”

Rainbow Dash burst out laughing so loud it startled some of the students around them.

“There! You wish!”

“We’re going to crush you down. Right, Muffin?”

She nodded with a smile, thus confirming that she wouldn’t either participate for the Sports Department…

From outside, their restless conversation tasted like the outlandishness of better days. No one could guess it was nothing but a reprieve, a bubble of fresh air allowing them to escape, at least for some minutes, to the disarray weighing on their shoulders.

As far as Fluttershy was concerned, though she could sense this was a façade, a moment of rest, she neither couldn’t help but feeling drawn by this commotion that was so familiar.

When she saw them this way, wacky, ebullient, a bit noisy, a huge nostalgia was taking over her. How she missed it all…

And at the same time, she was aware that giving in and coming back to them would be sheer weakness. She had made herself a promise and she wanted to keep it. She would go back to their comforting bosoms only once she would have get straight with her jealousy, and healed the wounds of her heart with her own will. Once she would feel like she wasn’t only a fraud within her own chosen family.

“Hi”, a male voice suddenly said.

Fluttershy looked away from the table where those she still regarded as her best friend kept on displaying restlessness. In front of her there was a young man she had often seen in school.

His white and aqua green hair, short-cropped, his eyes like amber, his uniform perfect… He was in the same class than Twilight and Trixie. But he was a loner, and the teenage girl couldn’t remember she ever saw him surrounded by even a single friend. He probably was another one of these bookworm, studies fanatics.

So, it was really surprising to see him here, talking to her. A girl among the other girls. Neither the smartest, neither the silliest.

Because of this, Fluttershy’s first reaction was to turn around and check out whether he really was speaking to her… It made him softly laugh.

“Yes, you’re the person I’ve just said “hi” to.”

“Oh. Hi.”

What more could she say? After all, she only knew him by sight, she didn’t even know his name, and she still was a very shy person, never at ease with persons she wasn’t with on a daily basis.

“My name’s Thunderlane. And you are Fluttershy, aren’t you?”

She nodded, while sipping at her orange juice.

“OK, you probably think I’m a pain in the neck, and you rather be alone than speaking to an almost stranger. I get it. If I were you, that’s exactly what I’d be thinking too. I leave.”

The boy got up, taking his tray. Then Fluttershy realized she had spoken to no one except her bunny Angel since she had taken the decision to step away from the girls, since she kept on avoiding Zephyr, so she wouldn’t hear him talk about Rainbow Dash, or worse, Big Macintosh.

“No, you… You can stay. A bit of company won’t hurt me.”

It would be better if she weren’t blushing while saying this… She still had things to work out. A lot of things to work out.

The advantage was that Thunderlane didn’t consider it necessary to point her outburst of shyness and sat back as if nothing had happened.

“Are you sure I’m not a bother?”

Once again, Fluttershy nodded. Though she didn’t know anything about him, in theory, he seemed to be someone nice who only wanted to have a nice chat. There was nothing wrong about it. The year she had spent had proven her it wasn’t a bad thing to socialize a little…

“In fact, I’ve noticed you’ve been very lonely lately and I thought I should go and talk to you, since you probably need someone to talk with.”

“It’s very kind of you.”

“I can’t help it, whenever I see someone who’s sad, I have to try to comfort them.”

“Do I look so sad?”

“A little…”

She hadn’t even realized. Since she had taken this decision, she was sailing on her daily life on automatic pilot mode. All the habits she had lost during the latest year were difficult to get back and especially made her feel lonelier than ever.

Maybe Thunderlane was right. She probably looked sad for the others. And they might be thinking it was because a serious ordeal had shaken her gang. It didn’t really help her to feel better.

“Can I ask you what happened?”

“It’s… complicated.”

She couldn’t tell him everything. First, because she didn’t know his character, and she wasn’t the kind of person to confess important things to person she barely knew. Second, because she still feared the image the others could have of her. Telling him her odious behavior wouldn’t particularly show her under a flattering light…

“I understand you don’t want to tell me. After all, I’m no one for you and maybe it makes you suffer. But… I know it’s going to sound crazy… I want to help you. Maybe that’s the protective side of me… So, I was thinking I could be your temporary friend until you get better. If you want it, of course.”

Did she want it? Fluttershy didn’t know. All she was sure of was that this sudden loneliness, in which she yet had taken refuge for so many years because of her fear of the others, it was a burden for her.

After all, maybe that being in company of someone new would help her to understand some things about herself. And it always felt better to share kindness with someone who seemed to be overwhelmed by it.

Comments

[Midday Giggle]

Around 6:24 p.m.

Being honest, I thought this arc, by the name, was going to be focused on Soarin. Honestly. But it seems that it's about Thunderlane, who has already catches my interest (never imagined him as a good student, always as a sportsman).

Loved Dash's interaction with Soarin in the beginning, really . Shouldn't had laughed so much, but I couldn't help it.