> Country Gems 2: Trouble In Paradise
>  by Nightlock106
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> (Prologue) A Heated Situation
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	I woke up when I heard a knock at the door. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, thinking who could be coming over this early. Looking over to Sweetie's bed, I noticed that she wasn't there. I shrugged it off and got out of bed. "Who in the hay could be coming over at this time?" I walked out of our room and went to the front door.
It's been three months since I had moved in to Rarity's house. I was still a little upset about what had happened, but it didn't bother me like it used to. There were some nights when I would cry myself to sleep thinking about it. Though, as the days went by, Sweetie Belle and I continued to grow closer and closer together in our relationship. She's the kind of filly that anypony would be lucky to have, and I was the filly that she wanted to be with. It always put a smile on my face knowing that nothing could come between us.
I finally reached the front door when there was another knock, "Who is it?"
"It's me!" called an energetic voice, along with the faint sound of buzzing wings.
I opened the door and smiled when I found Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash standing on the other side, "Hey! What's up?"
"I thought I'd stop by and see Applejack about taking her to Sugar Cube Corner so she can get a job over there," Rainbow Dash announced. "I also thought I'd drop off Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle before Rarity gripes at me about Sweetie Belle staying over at Fluttershy's for too long. I don't know what she's so worried about though, she knows Fluttershy is good with foals."
I tilted my head in confusion, "Sweetie Belle was at Fluttershy's?"
"Yeah, she and I over there for the night to help Fluttershy take care of some animals," Scootaloo interrupted.
"Where is she?"
"She's probably still walking, she was really tired when she woke up."
In my mind I couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. Sweetie Belle went over to Fluttershy's and didn't even bother to ask if I wanted to go with her. "So, did anything exciting happen?"
Scootaloo's face turned a beep shade of red, "N-Not really."
"Scootaloo, are you feeling alright? Your face is redder than the apples back at the orchard."
"I-I'm fine...nothing happened. Don't get your bow in a twist."
Sweetie Belle finally came walking up along the road, her eyelids drooping down, "I'm here."
I ran up to her and gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the lips, "Hey Sweetie Pie, how've you been."
"I've been better. Scootaloo really wore me out last night."
I looked over at Scootaloo and narrowed my eyes, "How'd she do that?"
"We stayed up late having fun."
Scootaloo's face got even redder, "S-She's probably still a little out of it, nothing happened at all, honest."
"If nothing happened, then why are you getting even redder. Are you two hiding something?"
Sweetie Belle looked at me and frowned, "Apple Bite, I'm sorry."
I looked back at Sweeite Belle, "For what? What happened?"
"Scootaloo and I kinda had a make-out session."
My eyes widened, "You two did what!?!"
"We made out and then some other things kind of happened as well."
"What other things?"
"I'm just gonna go inside..." Scootaloo started walking towards the door.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Scootaloo froze and turned back to face me. I looked back down at Sweetie Belle, anger starting to fill my eyes, "What other things?"
"W-We 'cuddled' together."
Before I could stop myself, I had smacked Sweetie Belle, "How could you?"
Sweetie Belle was on the ground, wiping a little bit of spit off of her lip, "I'm sorry."
"I cannot believe this! You went and had and affair with her!" I pointed at Scootaloo who was now shaking in fear. "What were you thinking?"
"I'm sorry babe..."
"Don't call me 'babe'!" I started walking off down the road, leaving Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shaking in fear behind me.
> When Life Gives You Lemons
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	"Wow! That was harsh. It's like having the best party in Equestria crashed," Pinkie Pie sat down another glass of chocolate milk in front of me.
"I mean...what did I ever do to her? I love her to death, but then she goes and does that with Scootaloo." I looked down at the table of empty milk glasses, tears running down my cheeks, "It's just not fair."
"Apple Bloom, I know it's rough, trust me. When ever me and Rainbow Dash were together, she ended up cheating on me with Fluttershy. It tore me apart, but I managed to look past it and tell myself, 'Hey, it wasn't my fault. If I'm not good enough for her, then maybe I shouldn't be with her.' Do you get what saying?"
I sat the empty milk glass on the table and waved my hoof for Pinkie Pie to pour more, "Not really."
Pinkie Pie poured the rest of the milk into the glass, "Look, drinking yourself sick isn't going to help anything. You need to go back over there and have a talk with her."
"Why should I-"
The door swung open and I turned to see who it was. It was Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They were both staring at me with fear filled eyes. They walked over to the table I was sitting at and sat down across from me.
"What do you want?"
Sweetie Belle looked down to the ground, "I-I just wanted to talk...about...you know, what happened."
I sat my empty milk glass on the table. I looked over at Sweetie Belle, "Look, Sweetie Belle, I'm sorry about hitting you. I was just really mad about what you had done."
"I'm the one who should be sorry. I went and did those things with Scootaloo that I know I shouldn't have been doing. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. It was kind of a...heat of the moment situation."
Scootaloo's face flushed red and she turned away, "Sweetie Belle, you didn't have to mention that."
Inside my stomach was twisting and turning with emotions. I was still mad about what Sweetie Belle had done. But, I wasn't sure how to make it right between us. My stomach starting hurting and my face started turning green.
Sweetie Belle looked back up at me, "Apple Bloom? Are you alright?"
I got up from my seat and rushed towards the bathroom. I bent over the toilet and let loose what was killing my stomach. Pinkie Pie was right; drinking myself sick didn't help anything. I wiped a little bit of vomit off of my mouth and washed my hooves.
There was a knock at the door, "Apple Bloom?"
"I'm fine...Just a bit too much chocolate milk."
"Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah...I think I'm-" I rushed back over to the toilet and let the flood gates open once again.
I finally came out of the bathroom and saw Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo standing outside the door waiting for me. I looked over at Sweetie Belle, my face instantly filling with guilt, "Sweetie Belle, I'm really sorry."
"Me too."
Scootaloo let out a sigh, "Me three."
I scraped my hoof against the floor a couple of times, "Sweetie Belle?"
She looked at me, concern deep in her eyes, "Yeah?"
"I think...it would be best if we...started seeing other ponies for a while."
Tears began to fill Sweetie Belle's eyes, "But-"
"It's for the best. I think we need a break for a little while right now. That doesn't mean that we can't still be friends during that time."
Tears starting rolling down Sweetie Belle's face and she raced out of Sugar Cube Corner. Scootaloo looked at me for a second and then started racing off after Sweetie Belle. I let out a long sigh and went back to my table. I sat down and looked over at Pinkie Pie, "Hit me again."
> Cold Wind Blows
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	I opened the door to the house and walked in, sitting my saddlebags on the floor next to it. I let out a long sigh and looked around the room. Nopony was home aside from Applejack and Sweetie Belle. I walked over to the chair opposite of them and sat down.
Applejack looked over at me and sighed, "So...Did anything happen today?"
I put my head on my hoof and looked at the wall, "No."
"Really? Because I was just talking with Sweetie Belle here, and it sounds like you two are kinda going at it."
"We're not going at it."
"Now sis, I don't like it when you lie to me. Sweetie Belle already explained it to me, I just want to hear your side of everything."
"What's there to talk about if you already know everything?"
"There's plenty to talk about."
"Fine." I rolled my eyes and looked at Applejack, "She cheated on me, I got mad, then I went to Sugar Cube Corner and drank myself sick on chocolate milk, we broke up and I came home."
"How are you feeling is what I want to know."
I shrugged and looked down to the ground, "Upset I guess."
"Why?"
"Because Sweetie Belle cheated on me."
"I said I was sorry. What more do you want?" Sweetie Belle snapped.
"I want to know why you would do something like that without even thinking about how this would effect us."
"I don't know why. It was a heat of the moment thing."
"You honestly expect me to believe that?"
"Well it's the truth."
"You know damn well that's not the truth."
"Apple Bloom! Watch your mouth!" Applejack barked.
"Why should I? I was just fine until you had to bring it up!"
"Don't you raise your-"
"Fuck you!"
Applejack fell silent and sat back in her chair. I was breathing heavily and staring coldly at both of them.
"Look, Apple Bloom...I-"
I turned to Sweetie Belle, "Save it! I don't want to hear anymore out of you!" I got up from my seat and started walking towards mine and Sweetie Belle's room, "I'm fucking done with this." I grabbed a small bag and started packing my things in it.
Applejack came into the room and stared at me, "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm staying at Fluttershy's. I don't want to be anywhere near you two." I finished packing my things and looked over at Applejack, "Move!"
Applejack sighed and left from the door, "If that's what you really want to do, be my guest. Just don't expect to keep running away from your problems."
I rolled my eyes and left the room. My mind had been made up. If I was going to keep being nagged about the issue, I wasn't about to be a part of it. I finally made it to the front door and looked back at Sweetie Belle, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. I turned back around and finally left Carousel Boutique.
As I was walking towards Fluttershy's, I couldn't help but to feel guilty. I knew that it wasn't right for me to be doing this, but it was the only choice that I felt that I had. It only put more pain on me when they keep talking about what happened. I just want to forget about the whole thing and try to make things work. But, they just wanted to keep pushing me for what I felt about the whole thing. I figured it was obvious that I was pissed off, but they just didn't want to listen to what I wanted to do. They only wanted me to do what they wanted me to do. It was just making more and more pissed off.
"I wish they would leave me the fuck alone. Why can't they understand that I want to deal with this myself?"
I finally made it to Fluttershy's cabin and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
I walked in and set my saddlebags next to the door, "Hey Fluttershy. How've you been?"
She was laying on the couch under a thick blanket. She was holding an ice pack on her head and had a bowel of soup sitting in her lap, "I've just been a little sick the past couple of days. It's nothing too serious, just a slight cold. How have you been?"
"I've been better."
She looked at me with confusion, "What do you mean?"
I sat down on the chair across from her, "It's a long story."
"I don't mind."
I let out a sigh and looked down to the ground, "Well, me and Sweetie Belle are kind of separated right now. When she was over here helping you take care of animals, she and Scootaloo 'cuddled' with each other. When she told me about it this morning, I got really mad at her and hit her. I feel really bad for doing that, but I just couldn't control myself. I went over to see Pinkie Pie and told her about it. Then Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo showed up and I told Sweetie Belle that I thought that we should see other ponies."
"Wait. You mean that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had sex?"
"Sweetie Belle said that it was a 'heat' of the moment kind of thing."
"Don't you think you girls are a bit too young to be doing that kind of thing?"
"We're twelve, we were bound to start going through heat cycles sooner or later."
Fluttershy put her hoof on her chin, "I think I get it. So, you wanted to come over and ask for some advise?"
"Actually, I came over to see if I could stay here for a few days. Applejack and I are also getting into it."
"What happened between you two?"
"She kept pressing the issue further and further, and it just got me to my boiling point. I said some things that I really shouldn't have said to her and I just decided to pack up some things and come over here."
"Well, I guess you can stay for a little while. But, you know you're going to have to solve your issues with them some day."
"I know. I just don't know what to do."
"I'd say give yourself time to calm down before you go back and talk to them. Then maybe you can get everything straitened out."
"Thanks Fluttershy."
"You're welcome. Just remember that you can't keep running from your problems forever."
> Walking On Broken Hearts
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	The next morning, I awoke to a loud clanging sound that was coming from the kitchen. I jolted off of the chair I was laying in and rushed over to see what had happened. I looked in the door and saw Fluttershy picking up a metal tray and some biscuits that were scattered on the floor. "Are you alright?"
Fluttershy looked up at me and smiled, "I'm fine. Just a really harsh sneeze. I'll make some more biscuits."
"Do you need any help?"
"No. I'm fine. Thanks for offering though."
I walked back into the living room and sat down. Though I was a lot calmer than I was yesterday, I still wasn't ready to talk with anypony about what had happened. I was still a little bit mad about it, I mean how could I not be. It just hurt to know that everything that we had felt for each other has gone down the drain. I guess I just wasn't meant to find love so early.
Angel hopped over and sat down next to my hoof. I looked down at him and picked him up, "I wish I knew what to do Angel. It seems that no matter how hard I try, I just can't think of anything."
Angel wiggled his nose at me and scratched the back of his ear.
"You're lucky. You don't ave to worry about relationships or how to deal with a broken heart. I wish I could take your place."
Fluttershy walked into the living room and sat a fresh tray of biscuits on the table, "Breakfast is ready."
I walked over to the table and sat down. I looked around the table and saw three extra plates sitting out, "Who else is going to be eating with us?"
"Apple Bloom?"
I quickly turned around to see Sweetie Belle, Applejack, and Scootaloo all standing behind me, "W-What are you doing here?"
Fluttershy walked over to them and greeted them, "I invited them over so we can talk about things peacefully. I figured that the sooner we figure things out and try to settle everything, the sooner you three can go back to being friends."
They all walked over to the table and sat around me. I looked down at the table and sighed. This really wasn't what I had planned to do this morning.
Once everypony got their food and started eating, Fluttershy looked at everypony and coughed lightly, "Alright. I guess now would be a good time to start."
I looked up at Sweetie Belle, "Look, Sweetie Belle, I'm really sorry about what I did yesterday. I was just really mad about what you had done. I just want to know what was going through your mind when you two had sex."
Sweetie Belle's face turned bright red, "W-Well...I was thinking that...since you and I still seem to not be doing anything with each other, I thought that you didn't like me anymore."
"Sweetie Belle, I will always love you. We don't have to show each other our love through sex."
"Then why were you holding back for so long?"
"I was just wanting to wait until the time was right."
Scootaloo looked over at me, a tear forming in her eye, "I'm sorry Apple Bloom. I was just really desperate. I knew you two were still together, but I just couldn't control myself. My heat was just getting to be too much to handle. I should've never made the first move."
I looked over at Scootaloo, slightly wide eyed, "You made the first move?"
She nodded and looked away from me, "I'm really sorry Apple Bloom. I just couldn't handle it anymore. I just needed relief, and I feel terrible that I took advantage of Sweetie Belle."
I looked down at my plate and sighed, "Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle...I forgive you."
They got up form their chairs and walked over to me, sandwiching me into a big group hug. Though my mind forgives them, my heart still has a ways to go. And for Sweetie Belle, it's going to take a long time before we even try to go back out with each other.
> When S**t Hits the Fan
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	I was packing my stuff back up to move back into my house. I was glad to have things settled with Sweetie Belle, and I was glad to still have my friends. But, even though in my mind everything was worked out, my heart was still confused. I still felt a little betrayed, but it didn't bother me like it used to. It was just one of those things that I felt would never go away. But, I knew that I could get over it.
As I was putting the last of my things into my bag, I heard a soft humming sound coming from upstairs. I looked around, only to find Applejack and Fluttershy still sitting in the kitchen. I didn't see Scootaloo, nor did I see Sweetie Belle. I heard the humming noise again. I looked towards the stairs, my mind fearing the worst. I started to walk towards the stairs, praying as hard as hard as I could that my mind was wrong.
What is going on up there? I thought to myself. I hope that I'm not right about this. Dear Celestia, please don't let me be right.
As I was walking up the stairs, the humming started to get louder, and I also started to hear some soft giggling. My heart was starting to sink into my stomach. My mind was filling with all kinds of possible scenes, and none of them were making me feels any better. It was driving me insane. It felt like a ton of bricks were being placed on my shoulders, and I was falling apart under their weight. I made it to the top of the stairs and began to here the humming coming from the end of the hallway. I started walking towards the sound, and I swore that I could hear Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. I made it to the room at the end of the hall and pressed my ear against the door.
"S-Stop it Sweetie Belle. W-What if Apple Bloom finds us?" Scootaloo's words were coming in between pants.
"She's not gonna know. Now stop complaining, I know you're enjoying this."
My heart fell out of my chest and onto the floor. Were they really having sex again? This couldn't be true. There was just no way that it could be true. I pressed my hoof against the door and cracked it open. I peeked in to find Sweetie Belle with her head in between Scootaloo's legs. My eyes shot open, and so did the door.
They both looked at me with fear, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Sweetie jumped up and blushed deeply, "I-It's not what it-"
"I know what you two were doing. And after I forgave you for the last time!"
"Apple Bloom, please...I-It's wasnt'-"
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" I pulled my hoof back and punched Sweetie Belle in the face again, her eye immediately swelling up.
She looked up at me, a tear running down her face, "I'm sorry Apple Bloom."
"The hell you are! How can you expect to be doing this and still expect me to believe that you're sorry?"
Scootaloo was walking towards the door, trying to avoid eye contact with me.
I looked over at her and growled, "Where do you think you're going?"
She stopped in her tracks and looked at me with fearful eyes, "I-I was just going to get a-"
I walked over to her and put my hoof and her lips, "You're gonna get an ass kicking if you don't stay in this room."
She nodded and looked at Sweetie Belle, "I'm sorry."
Sweetie Belle frowned and averted her gaze from Scootaloo, "It's my fault."
I stood over Sweetie Belle, "How could you?"
"I'm sorry Apple Bloom. I just couldn't help myself."
"You need to decide right now. Do you want to be with me? Or do you want to be with Scootaloo? I'm tired of these games Sweetie Belle. I'm not somepony you can just play with like some toy. I need to know Sweetie Belle."
She looked from me to Scootaloo and back to me. She looked to the ground and sighed, "I'm sorry Apple Bloom. You're better off without me."