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Don't Run From Me3,315 words
Don't Look Away1,491 words
They Can't Control Us2,363 words
Because We're Okay(Epilogue)3,868 words

Because We're Okay(Epilogue)

Since the closet conversation with Spitfire, Fleetfoot had set out on a mission. A mission to find self love and acceptance. It had taken a while to not only become comfortable with herself, but also to become confident and fight back against negativity. Throughout her journey, she had learned many things, met many ponies, and shed many tears. As the months had gone on, so much weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, some of which she hadn't even known was there. She, as well as the rest of her teammates, had noticed how much happier she had been. Her gait was less timid, her chin was tilted every so slightly higher than usual, and she was much less afraid of sharing a loving nuzzle with her marefriend in public. To top everything off, none of it was a forced way of protecting herself. She genuinely knew she was safe and protected, and she knew that she could now help others to achieve that. She knew she had helped others feel comfortable with themselves, some even being teammates. Since that day, Lightning Streak and Thunderlane had started dating, and so had High Winds and Night Glider, who was now a recruit.

So at the current moment in time, she could not be happier. She stood next to Spitfire in the middle of a street in Manehattan along a sea of other ponies. It was a warm day in the middle of June, which was an entire month dedicated to celebrating the identities of ponies like her, as well as ponies who weren't like her, but were part of her community all the same. As a gentle breeze breeze blew overhead, flags of all different colors rippled in response. There were flags of blue, pink, and white. Flags of black, grey, purple, and white. The flag that appeared most often, the one that bore every color of the rainbow. Of course, there were many more stripes waving in the air that day, more than she or Spitfire could count. They themselves didn't bear any flags of their own, instead adorning each an elastic band on their foreleg. Spitfire's band was about two inches thick, and had wide stripes of pink, purple, and blue. Fleetfoot's band was the same thickness, but had skinny stripes of oranges, white, and pinks. She was nearly bouncing on the tips of her hooves as she walked along, and her ears were perked up in a way that radiated excitement. If her body language didn't tell a story, her facial expression sure did. On her face was a beaming smile as she looked around the crowd, their cheering and laughter making their way into her ears. It was such a wonderful and welcoming sound. Looking to her immediate right, she saw Spitfire beaming right back at her. She looked just as happy as Fleetfoot was in that moment, but also had pride dancing in her eyes.

It was not surprising that Spitfire was so proud of her. She had seen first hoof the progress Fleetfoot had made. She had been right next to her during the journey. Right next to her as she shed tears at every major event along the way. There had obviously been tears of sadness.

Fleetfoot sat on a lonely cloud a bit out of view of the Wonderbolt compound. She had just read an article made by a smaller newspaper. It was actually more of an opinion column published by the author of the article. In it, there was a very strong opinion of herself and Spitfire. The words on the page were so incredibly harsh and cold that they left a powerful sting after reading the letter. She had read the column in private, but had been unable to brush off the words hours after she had read it. Despite knowing that the words had no validity to them, they were still enough to make her hurt.

She looked down at the offending paper as she heard steady wingbeats approaching her. Whoever had approached her planted themselves right in front of her and just sat there in silence. Even with her eyes swimming with tears, Fleetfoot had known that it was Spitfire. She brought a hoof up to attempt to dry her eyes. Once the tears were temporarily removed, she saw her marefriend looking at her with a mixture of concern, sympathy, and sorrow etched into her face. She wrapped her in a comforting embrace, simply letting Fleetfoot sob freely into her chest. She knew that Fleetfoot didn't believe what the paper was saying. She knew that it was wrong. That being said, what needed to be worked on was confidence. She needed to believe that she would be accepted by others. She needed to be able to go out in public without being afraid. Until then though, she needed her to be there, giving her the support she needed to continue to grow.

There had been tears of frustration.

It was a Sunday. Spitfire and Fleetfoot were walking through the marketplace in a more secluded area of Cloudsdale. They were getting groceries for the team since nopony else had volunteered. It was a gorgeous day outside, with the sun's rays gently surrounding them with warmth, and a warm breeze tickling their eyelashes. The two stopped by a stand selling apples and carrots. Most of the chitter-chatter that had come from what had come to be known as the "Snuggle Scandal" had died down. Remarks were still made here and there, and the looks continued in many places, but nopony would go out of their way to bash the couple anymore. For the two, walking side-by-side elicited more reactions than there would be if one of them went alone, but that was to be expected. Public displays of affection often led to many wrinkled noses and muzzles stuck up high in the air as ponies huffed and turned in the other direction.

After paying for their purchase at that stand, the two decided to split up to be more efficient. Spitfire would go to the summer-fruit stand and Fleetfoot would go to the fish stand. As they were about to go their own ways, Spitfire leaned in to nuzzle the tip of Fleetfoot's nose tenderly. However, upon noticing a mare staring at the two, Fleetfoot sharply jerked her head away from Spitfire. Without meeting her marefriend's eyes or looking back, she walked quickly away to complete her errand.

The rest of their outing had been without further bumps, but the tension between the two was almost thick enough to cut. There was no anger between them, but there was still a tiny sting of hurt coming from Spitfire, and a large amount of guilt emanating from Fleetfoot. The two were now lying in bed together as it was nearing midnight. Spitfire was snoring quietly, rolled onto her side. Fleetfoot was wide awake, also rolled onto her side, but was facing the opposite direction of Spitfire. For what seemed like the millionth time since her journey began, tears slid down her cheeks and dampened the surface of her pillowcase. She was just so frustrated with herself. Obviously she knew that confidence wouldn't suddenly bubble up in her overnight, but pulling away from Spitfire was a really big "what have I done?" moment for her. She was so frustrated that she had let a single pony dictate how she expressed her love. They already knew, so what was the big deal about a nice nuzzle?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They could either like it or not, but she shouldn't be listening to them regardless. Yet she had still roughly pulled herself away and not looked back. She probably hurt Spitfire which was the very last thing she'd want to ever do.

Why?

Why did she let them control her just then? She knew that she'd work on it, and that Spitfire would forgive her, but she couldn't forget that she had done it in the first place. She was a mass of frustration at the moment. So, she rolled onto her other side and did her best to curl most of her body around the bigger mare. Draping a foreleg over Spitfire's chest and burying her muzzle into her neck, she whispered, "I'm thorry Thpitfire. I love you." She planted a kiss on the mare's cheek before letting herself drift to sleep.

There had been tears of hope.

Several weeks went by before Sun Chaser came up to the couple to suggest going to a support group. She said that maybe if Fleetfoot was exposed to more ponies like herself, she would be able to relate to them and come out of her shell a bit more. Agreeing that it was a great idea, the two got to searching for one. As it turned out, finding a group was less challenging than they had anticipated. There were several small ones in places such as Appleoosa, Manehattan, and of course Ponyville. The decided that it would be really good to start in Ponyville, as it was the closest of the few they had found, and it was the most welcoming place they knew. There were four couples in total in the support group excluding themselves. Lofty and Holiday, Lyra and Bonbon, Cloud Chaser and Blossomforth, and Caramel and Terra were all waiting for them when they met them at the park. Without even asking, they all made their way to a hill away from everypony else.

The group was mainly for the four of them to socialize with each other and be open about themselves. Once the five couples had arrived at the hill, they all sat down in assorted positions. Holiday and Lofty sat upright, leaning against each other, with Lofty's wing draped over her wife's back. Blossomforth was curled up in front of Cloud Chaser who was resting her top half across her. Caramel had a foreleg draped over Terra's shoulders while Terra's head was tucked under his chin. Unsure of how to act, but reassured by everypony else, the mare's got comfortable themselves. Spitfire opened a wing and allowed Fleetfoot to nestle herself into her side. Lofty started off the conversation with a warm smile. "Welcome to our support group dears." Spitfire smiled in return.

"Thanks for having us. Even if the group is small, this actually seems pretty nice," she commented.

"Yeah it's pretty cozy," responded Cloud Chaser. "I'm assuming you two are here because of the paper that came out a while ago?"

"Mhmh," hummed Fleetfoot, who now looked slightly uncomfortable. Everypony seemed to pick up on this, so Blossomforth was quick to reassure them.

"I for one think you're very brave. I mean, what some ponies had to say was absolutely disgusting." Her upper lip curled slightly upwards as she spoke. "I mean, your relationship literally changes nothing. You'll still fly the same, you'll still interact the same with fans, you'll do your job the same way as before. Your love life has in no way impacted your work! I was so mad when it happened!" she fumed. Cloud Chaser moved her head to nuzzle her marefriend's ear.

"I know what she means. I want to become a 'Bolt someday too." A sigh escaped her lips. "I'm afraid to be out if I did make the team. Or at least I was. After talking to these guys though, I decided to not hide it. If the public has a problem with me then tough shit. I did well at the academy, I do my job well, and I am a perfectly normal daughter, friend, and sister. The only thing different about me is the fact that I kiss this jackass after work instead of a stallion." She ruffled Blossomforth's mane slightly. Fleetfoot's head perked up slightly at the very brave remark.

"How can you thay that? Doethn't it bother you at all?" Fleetfoot was perplexed, but then again... maybe she shouldn't be.

"At some point ya gotta just get them haters outta yer head," chimed Caramel. "They're just gonna keep tryna knock you down, but yer stronger than 'em. "

"Honey, no one in a clear state of mind is going to fault you for something you can't control. And they won't think that you need to control it in the first place. I'm sure that you have ponies who will be there for you no matter what?" Holiday asked. Fleetfoot nodded.

"Our teammateth are all thuper thupportive. Thpitfire'th mom ith too. Mine though.." her voice took a sad tone at the end and became much softer. Holiday took her hoof in hers and looked at her in a way that could only be pulled off by a mother figure. Based on descriptions from Rainbow Dash, she knew that she and Lofty raised Scootaloo, so it must have been that speaking.

"I'm so sorry honey. It's always the hardest when somepony that important to us doesn't see us the way we want them to. How long have they known?"

"Thinthe the article came out. But I've known thinthe I wath eight, so for thixteen yearth now." She was honestly very surprised at how easy it was to open up to these ponies. Maybe it was how strongly they felt about these matters. Maybe it was how sure they were of themselves. Maybe it was their sheer kindness. Whatever it was, Fleetfoot liked it.

"Well Ms. Fleetfoot, I agree with Cloud Chaser," Caramel's colt friend spoke up. He was a pastel yellow earth stallion, though smaller and sleeker than Caramel. He looked very smart, and very kind. "I think it's really cool that you've known for so long. But can't you see? You've always been you, and until they found out, they've always been supportive towards you correct?" Fleetfoot nodded. "I have no doubt that you already know this, but they'll just need some time to adjust. I mean, they just need to come to terms that you're you, and have always been you."

"I know that, and it thoundth tho thimple. I know a lot of thingth. That thingth need time, that I can't lithten to otherth, that I need to be patient with mythelf. It'th jutht tho hard." Her ears splayed back and she let out a frustrated huff. She looked over at Caramel as he let out a chuckle.

"Well shucks if that ain't the truth. It's real hard at first, and it's even harder when yer not the problem. I personally think that it's real shitty when somepony tells ya that 'only time will tell'. I know that, but it's still a might frustratin'. So it's normal to feel the way ya do. Sucky, but normal." Lofty gave Caramel a small look of disapproval at his negative outlook on things, but even she had to admit that it was true.

"Look dear, it's going to be hard," she began. "But here's what's going to happen next. Equestria is changing for the better. You are setting an example for foals all over. Whether you know it or not, you're inspiring others to embrace themselves. And when everything plays out, the one's who love you will be right at your side. They'll never hesitate to defend you from the negativity. But by the time that plays out, the ponies with nasty things to say will most likely just keep their distance or at least not lash out anymore. And by then, everything you've been through will have been worth it. You'll know what it's like to be confident in yourself, and you'll be proud of how far you've come. You'll be able to appreciate it so much more when you've had to endure so much. At the rate we're going, that day will come. It's just a matter of when."

As she spoke, Spitfire's grip around Fleetfoot had tightened a bit. Fleetfoot's eyes were misty by the end of it, but no tears fell. Lofty's encouraging eyes, her soft yet firm tone, her caring demeanor all gave Fleetfoot hope. She had already had hope, but hearing it from somepony who didn't have to love her, who hadn't been loving her her whole life, who didn't know her in her entirety, but knew the parts she herself didn't made it that much more special. She looked up at Spitfire, who had been rather silent during the entire thing. Her amber eyes were misty as well, and she smiled down at Fleetfoot. Fleetfoot returned the smile happily before sharing it with the other couples.

"Thank you tho much. For everything." Everypony else gave smiles of their own, before the two departed, feeling just a bit lighter than before.

And the best of all had been the tears of happiness.

It was time to talk to Fleetfoot's parents. Months had gone by since she had spoken to them last. Neither she nor they had even tried to contact the other since the letter was sent. At least until another letter came in the mail one day from her parents. She had opened it with Spitfire next to her for moral support. It really wasn't needed until after she had read it though. In it, her parents had invited her and Spitfire over for lunch the following week. Nothing about the letter seemed angry or disapproving. If anything, it sounded calm and inviting. Fleetfoot had been weary nonetheless, and had been in a somewhat flustered state for an entire week. She was both excited to see her parents again and nervous as to what they had to say. She wasn't panicked though, which in itself showed great progress on her part. Earlier on she'd have worked herself into a frenzy. She was proud of herself for this.

The week leading the the meeting came and went quickly. Before they knew it, Spitfire and Fleetfoot were in Cloudsdale knocking on Fleetfoot's parent's door. A turquoise mare with a braided navy mane opened the door for them. Like her daughter, she was very sleek, but unlike her daughter, she was a lot taller. She was slightly taller than Spitfire. Her radiant fuchsia eyes showed just an ounce of hesitation, before they reflected warmth as a smile grew on her face. "Fleetfoot, darling. Spitfire, come in." She beckoned them inside with a hoof and led them to the dining room where her husband was waiting for them. He was a larger grey pegasus with an icy white mane and large blue eyes. He gave an unsure smile upon seeing the two and gave a wave of his wing.

"Good afternoon you two. Come sit, we made a salad and some sandwiches. Is that alright?" he asked.

"Yeah of courthe," Fleetfoot responded. Nothing much was said during lunch other than generic small talk. Just the usual questions about work and how certain friends were doing.

After lunch though, everypony was ushered into the living room for a talk. Fleetfoot and Spitfire shared a loveseat while her parents sat across from them on the couch. "We're sorry darling," began her mother. Spitfire took one of Fleetfoot's hooves and gave a small squeeze. "We weren't there for you when you needed us, and even worse, we contributed to what you had to hide from. No matter how shocked we were, what we said to you was not okay in the slightest. I don't want to be another pony who tries to hurt you. Your father and I love you Fleets, and again, we're so sorry." Fleetfoot bit her lip. Of course what her mother said was lovely, but why had they done it in the first place? Her father spoke up before she could ask any questions.

"How long have you like mares Fleetfoot?" She wanted to answer normally, but she felt hurt enough to want to fight back a little bit.

"Dad I've liked them thinthe I wath eight. Iv'e alwayth been like thith. I'm no different now, or when that article came out, than I've been for the patht thixteen yearth! We've only been dating for about nine monthth, but I've never felt any attraction towards stallions!" Spitfire looked between her and her parents, rubbing circles over her back, not saying anything. She trusted that Fleetfoot was able to stand up for herself now.

"Sixteen years? Oh sweetie, that long? How come you've never told us this before?"

"I wath thcared of how you'd react! Clearly I wath right to be thcared! That letter.." she took a deep breath. How could you thent me thomething like that?" Her mother looked sad, as she had since her apology.

"It was a stupid decision. Looking back, not even we have an answer to why we did that. We've been avoiding you for the past few months actually. We've berated ourselves so much, and we couldn't even imagine how much pain you were in." Fleetfoot could see the genuine regret in her parents' eyes. She wanted to hug them, to feel their love. She was mad but she believed that they could see her for her. Not who she dated.

"Guyth, I'm working on being confident with mythelf. I acthept your apology, but I need you to work with me too. How can I know that you'll really be there?" Her mother spoke out again.

"Darling, all your father and I want is for you to be happy. Your'e right, too. You're the same way you've always been, and it took us a minute to see that. But we want to be there for you. Even just sitting here on the seat, I can see how much you two mean to each other."

"We've known you, Spitfire, since you were toddlers," her father added. "You've always been the best of friends, and it was never any secret how protective you were for each other. We trust Spitfire wholeheartedly, and if she makes you happy, and keeps you safe, we can't truly see an issue." Spitfire smiled at the level of respect she had from her marefriend's parents. She was startled when Fleetfoot launched herself off of the loveseat and towards her mother, burying her face in her chest. Her mother in turn wrapped her forelegs and wings around her daughter and held her in a loving embrace.

Celebration might not be in order this early on, but at the point, just hearing that her parents wouldn't hold her sexuality against her, that they approved of her relationship, that they honestly cared about her, made her eyes water. These weren't tears of sadness or bitterness. They were tears of happiness. Because her parents wanting to make the change to support her made her very, very happy.

Here she stood with her love, along with the ponies from Ponyville's support group not far from her. Ponies like them had made her journey so worthwhile. She had grown out of her shell more and more with their help. She had learned so much about their journeys, and how they compared and differed from her own. There was one thing that always remained constant and true for all of them, and millions of others in Equestria and beyond:
They were okay.
And they always would be. No matter what.

Author's Note:

Hey y'all. I really hoped you enjoyed this story. I know that Fleetfoot has a happy ending, but not everyone does. My heart goes out to you and wishes you the best. Please keep in mind everything that was said in the story, and reach out to someone to help. Nobody should have to live in fear of themselves or of others. We can't let ourselves believe others when they say that one love is right where another is wrong. We all need to just love and let it be.
Everyone deserves unconditional love, no doubt. I wish everyone well, and know that you'll be safe here, there's no judgement.
-Crystalline :)

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