Apple Bloom’s Secret

by YourUncleFuncle

What is a Fillyfooler?

Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened at what her friend had just said. Why would she say that? What could she possibly say that would make her not want to be friends with Apple Bloom anymore? Sweetie Belle put a hoof under the teary-eyed yellow earth pony’s chin and carefully moved her head up so that they were staring into each other’s eyes.

“Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle in a calm and serious voice, “whatever you have to say won’t change our friendship in the slightest. You're a strong pony who can get through anything, just like your brother and sister. You’ll always be my best friend with Scootaloo, and we most certainly won’t desert you. Ever! So, please, just tell me. I promise you I won’t hate you for whatever it is.”

Apple Bloom stared at the shining eyes, staring at her and begging her for a chance to show her that it wasn’t so bad. She felt that if she simply said the three words, it wouldn’t be so bad. Like ripping off a band-aid almost, but a lot harder. Could she actually tell Sweetie Belle the truth? Could she form the words in her mouth? Could she really-

“Ah’m a fillyfooler.”

As soon as the words came out, Apple Bloom regretted it. Although she had wanted to say something more, now there was no way she could reveal any more of her true feelings. She cursed herself inside for not telling Sweetie Belle she liked her, because that would have said both things plain and easy. But instead she got cold hooves and stopped halfway.

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom in confusion, her mouth in a small frown and head turned slightly. “A fillyfooler?”

Apple Bloom nodded, still trembling with the reveal and fighting back any stray tears. “Ah hope you still want to be friends with me.”

Sweetie Belle just smiled and hugged her earth pony friend, happy to give her friend any kind of comfort she could offer. “Well, just because you’re...that, doesn’t mean I don’t want to be friends anymore. I mean, it’s not the end of the world, right?”

Apple Bloom looked up to Sweetie Belle and took notice of her facial expression. The unicorn had a smile on her face, and it looked like she had genuinely meant what she had said, but it didn’t make Apple Bloom feel any better.

“Why didn’t I just tell her! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom mumbled, “Ah guess.”

Sweetie Belle saw that Apple Bloom didn’t look convinced, so she gave her another hug before jumping off the bed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Apple Bloom. Remember, nothing could stop us from being friends.” She smiled again which was returned from the smallest of smiles from the pony on the bed, and turned to the door before exiting.

As she started walking down the stairs she stopped and realized something.

“What is a fillyfooler?” her mind asked itself. “Maybe Rarity will know.”

And with that she quickly ran down the rest of the stairs, exited the house, and trotted home.

——————————————————

About five minutes went by before Sweetie Belle reached her destination, the Carousel Boutique, home to the bestest and latest fashion in Equestria, and to Sweetie Belle and her sister, Rarity, of course. As soon as she opened the door, the bell rang alerting Rarity, who came out looking ready to present herself to a customer. As soon as she saw her little sister, however, she dropped it, although her smile remained.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle! You’re home later than usual.”

Sweetie Belle smiled at her big sister. “Yeah, sorry about that. Apple Bloom got sick during school so Scootaloo and I went to visit her and give her our homework assignment.”

“Oh that poor darling,” Rarity said, her expression turning worried, “I bet Applejack was absolutely panicked!”

“Well she did seem a little on edge when we were there but that’s about it.”

Both sisters shared a laugh at the image of the overprotective Apple. Then Rarity cleared her throat and began to speak again.

“So other than that how was your day at school?”

“Pretty boring honestly. We learned about some pony war from a long time ago.”

“Well I hope you're hungry,” she exclaimed before trotting into the kitchen, “because I made your favorite, noodle soup!”

“Yeah, thanks Rarity,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed before remembering that she had something to ask her older sister. “Can I ask a quick question?”

“Of course, Sweetie, anything!”

“What’s a fillyfooler?”

A sudden crash radiated throughout the kitchen. Sweetie Belle looked over and quickly saw that her sister had dropped a plate onto the ground as soon as the question had finished leaving her mouth.

As she went over to help clean up, she realized that Rarity had not made a move to clean it up herself yet. Instead the fashionista stood frozen in her place, looking at her with a wide eyed expression. Silence lingered between the two of them for about thirty seconds, but it felt like a few centuries.

Sweetie Belle just stood there, very confused at her sister’s reaction, and waited for her sister to respond, move, or anything. “Was it that weird of a question? The last time something like this happened was when I asked where foals came from. All she said was-”

“Sweetie Belle, I do believe that is a question to answer when you are older.”

“-that.”

“What do you mean, Rarity?” she asked in an innocent voice. “I just want to know what it means.”

“Darling,” Rarity started, and Sweetie Belle knew the tone. It was her way of making it seem like an issue was of little importance when in reality she just didn’t want to talk about it. “I do love you, and want to protect you, and I feel that explaining this to you would be too much for you right now, and a little uneasy for me, if I’m being perfectly honest.”

“What do you mean? What’s so bad about it?”

Rarity’s eyes darted around the room looking for a distraction or a way out of it somehow. After finding none she sighed and went back into the front room, and sat on her fainting couch. Sweetie Belle took the hint and followed her sister, sitting next to her on the comfy sofa, and tried to look into her eyes, although Rarity was avoiding her gaze.

“Is it that bad? I hope it’s not anything bad that’s happening to Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle thought, concerned about her friend. “If it is bad, then I guess it would explain her fear.”

Her thoughts were interrupted when the bigger unicorn took a deep breath in, and turned to her.

“Sweetie Belle,” Rarity started, “this is a difficult topic for anypony to discuss, and I am no different. I may say things that will surprise, or even shock you, so if you have any questions, I’ll try my very best to answer them darling.”

“Do you know how mares are usually attracted to stallions and vice versa?” Sweetie Belle nodded. “Well there are some in Equestria who feel that they’re attracted to the same gender as themselves, for instance a stallion liking another stallion.”

Sweetie Belle felt her jaw drop open. “That can happen?” she more exclaimed than asked.

“Yes, darling, and until very recently, those types of relationships were outlawed, even punishable a long time ago, but recently Celestia overturned the law, allowing these ponies to love who they like. However, there are still certain individuals in Equestria that don’t agree with their attractions, and think that it’s unnatural. They call these ponies certain names, some of which I won’t get into, but fillyfooler is one of those terms. It is used to describe a filly who is attracted to other fillies, but it is rather...derogatory. It is not a name that one should call anyone under any circumstances.”

Rarity took this time to observe her little sister’s reaction to the news. Sweetie Belle was staring at her in disbelief almost.

Sweetie Belle was in disbelief. “Ponies can love ponies of the same gender? There are ponies out there who are in relationships like that? APPLE BLOOM LOVES FILLIES?!”

This was a lot to take in for the filly, being the first time she had ever even heard of it being a possibility, let alone for a pony that was so close to her. She needed to talk to Apple Bloom, and fast.

“May I ask you a question, though?”

Rarity’s question snapped Sweetie Belle out of her confused status, who looked to her sister and nodded.

“Darling, wherever did you learn such a word?”

Author's Note:

I kinda switched to Sweetie’s point of view for this chapter. I’ll probably be doing this more often, but Apple Bloom will still be the main focus. Thanks for reading!

Comments

[xXSaltfishXx]

Another awesome chapter you write very good, but the cliff hanger😢