Spellbound Fireflies (11 page)

Twilight stepped forward, leaning a little closer.  “Of course you can, Scootaloo.  What do you need?”

She glanced fitfully around the park, grimacing.  “Maybe…somewhere else?”

The couple exchanged a confused glance.  Frowning, Rainbow asked, “Is everything okay, Scoots?”

Steeling her nerves and inhaling slowly, Scootaloo closed her eyes and murmured, “I…think I might be gay.”

Rainbow and Twilight’s wide eyes met, a silent volley of panic passed back and forth in a matter of moments.  Twilight raised an eyebrow and her marefriend nodded gently.  The unicorn turned back to Scootaloo, who was sitting on her haunches and fidgeting in discomfort.  “…Let’s go back to the library.”

Scootaloo nodded and the three set off at a trot, the filly walking her scooter alongside her.  The silence growing thick, Twilight looked to Rainbow with pleading eyes.  The daredevil gave her a bewildered shrug.  Twilight opened her mouth, but no sound came out, so she glared at Rainbow.  Rainbow voicelessly mouthed, ‘What am
I
supposed to say?’ with exaggerated movements.  Twilight rolled her eyes.

Scootaloo trudged alongside the noiselessly bickering couple, trying to dismiss her embarrassment.  In silence, they filed into the library.

“Okay,” Twilight breathed, “Why don’t you two sit down and I’ll make some coffee.  Hot chocolate, Scootaloo?”

Smirking weakly, Scootaloo mumbled, “I’m surprised you didn’t say ‘ice cream.’”  Rainbow failed to stifle her snort and Twilight giggled apprehensively as she headed to the kitchen.  The daredevil sat on a floor pillow in front of the fireplace and gave the filly a guarded smile.  Scootaloo joined her on a different pillow.  “So, uhh…”

“…Yeah.”  Rainbow’s smile turned forced and pained.  Scootaloo returned the lock-jaw grin, scuffing at the floor with a hoof.  Both of their gazes darted fitfully back and forth from the kitchen and each other.  At long last, Twilight returned with three steaming mugs floating in a field of energy.  Scootaloo gripped her hot chocolate in both hooves as Twilight settled down next to her marefriend.

Twilight cleared her throat.  “Well…first thing, Scootaloo, Rainbow and I are glad that you felt comfortable enough with us to come to us about this.”  She shot Rainbow Dash a testing glare that didn’t invite any arguments.  Rainbow blinked in bewilderment.  “So, what, uh, what makes you think that you’re gay?”

Staring down at her steaming cocoa, Scootaloo took a slow sip to buy herself some time.  “…Well…”  She scratched at her neck.  “…I don’t really…look at colts.  But, well…I do look at fillies.”  She felt heat rush to her face.  “N-not all of the fillies in my class, but some of ‘em…and, uh, one of ‘em more than others…”

Twilight looked to Rainbow Dash, who pleaded with her eyes for the unicorn to take the lead.  Twilight sighed and nodded.  “Well, it’s important for you to know a couple of things first.  It’s perfectly normal for fillies or colts to be curious about ponies the same gender as themselves, and that doesn’t automatically make them gay.  Also, not being interested in ponies of the opposite gender doesn’t make somepony gay, either.  You might just not be ready to be interested in colts yet...”  She cleared her throat and took a long sip from her floating coffee mug.  “…This filly that’s caught your eye—”

Scootaloo straightened on the pillow, her eyes darting nervously around the room.  She took a large swig of her hot chocolate and burned her mouth.

Twilight stifled her nervous chuckle.  “I’m not gonna ask you who, that’s between you and her.”  Scootaloo sighed in relief and relaxed again, running her slightly scorched tongue over her teeth.  “I was gonna ask you what it is about her that you like.  Are you just curious about her?”  Twilight’s face colored slightly and she willed herself to remain frank and open.  “About…her body?”

Scootaloo thought her cheeks might burst into flame.  “Uhm…”  She cleared her throat a couple times, refusing to raise her eyes to meet Twilight’s gaze.  Rainbow Dash was having a similar reaction, wishing she had a bucket of sand she could bury her head under until this conversation was over.  “I…dunno…I mean…uh…I think about her a lot.  And I really like seeing her happy.  And when she looks at me or we hug…I don’t ever want it to stop.  I…haven’t really thought about any of that…other stuff.”

Nodding, Twilight gently said, “Well, Scootaloo…You might be gay.  Neither Rainbow nor I could know for sure, the only pony who can know is you.  You’re still awfully young and there’s a chance that as you grow older you’ll find an interest in colts, but you might just be interested in fillies…like us.”  She turned and smiled at Rainbow Dash, who attempted to return the gesture through her awkward fidgets.  She turned back to Scootaloo.  “...You should know, if you don’t already, that some ponies aren’t very...accepting of others being gay.  You might run into ponies that will have a problem with it and give you a hard time.  So, if you are gay and you ever need any help, you can
always
come to us.  Okay, Scootaloo?”

Slowly drawing her eyes up to meet Twilight’s face, Scootaloo felt some of the discomfort bleed from the room.  She nodded slowly at Twilight and asked, “How can I know for sure?”

Twilight frowned in thought.  “…It depends on how you feel about this filly, or other fillies.  You said you haven’t thought about…” she cleared her throat and took a swig of coffee, “…yeah, well, so these feelings you do have.  Is it just that she’s a really close friend and you like being around her?  Or is it more than that?  Do you want to hold hooves with her…maybe kiss her?”

Scootaloo thought about it, picturing sitting next to Sweetie Belle with a white hoof in her grip.  She thought about the unicorn’s smile as their eyes met, leaning in closer, feeling the gentle breaths on her muzzle…

She shook her head, feeling out of sorts.  Her cheeks were warm and she seemed to be uncontrollably smiling.  “I..maybe?”  Furrowing her brow she leaned in closer. “I’m…pretty sure I do like her that way…”

Twilight smiled warmly.  “You should make sure you’re absolutely positive, and straight or gay, you can always turn to us for anything.”

Scootaloo grinned at the two, feeling most of the pressure lift away from her chest.  “…Should I tell her?”

With the tension out of the room and her bravado restored, Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively.  “Anypony would be dyin’ to go out with an awesome filly like you, but ya don’t need to rush into things.  Take your time, make sure you know what ya want, and be cool about it.”  She flashed a knowing look to the unicorn, exchanging a wordless conversation Scootaloo couldn’t follow.  “All those movies and books about love are full of sappy junk.  Goin’ out with other ponies isn’t this big, huge thing, so don’t try to make it something like that.”  She leaned in closer.  “When you’re ready, you should just ask her out.  If she says no, things might be a little awkward, but you’ll both get over it and still be friends and there’ll be other fillies.  If she says yes, then score one for Scootaloo!  Just…take your time with it and don’t build it up in your head, alright?  Trust us; gettin’ worked up about it just makes things awkward.”

“Okay…”  She frowned in thought.  “Was it really awkward when you two got together?  How’d that happen, anyway?”

Rainbow looked to her marefriend, a small smile spreading across her face.  “That’s…kind of a long story, Squirt.”

Twilight grinned back, a hoof drifting up to cup the pegasus’ face.  “…I think we might have the time to tell it.”

They stared at each other for a moment and Scootaloo once again felt the primal connection between the couple on the air like charged electricity.  Rainbow nuzzled into the hoof on her face and asked, “Who should tell it?”

“We both will.  Why don’t you start?”

Smiling, Scootaloo hunkered down further into her pillow and sipped her cocoa.  Rainbow Dash ran a hoof through her mane, puffed out her chest with a cocky grin on her muzzle, and began to speak.

A fine layer of party detritus coated every inch of Sugarcube Corner.  The dwindling number of party guests moved slower than when the party was in full swing, a low murmur of tired voices the only soundtrack to the dregs of celebration.  Pinkie Pie bounded tirelessly from guest to guest, refilling glasses with punch or offering hard cider to the few interested in really keeping the party going.  Applejack, citing an early morning, had left as the sun went down, leaving Rarity, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash sitting and talking at a large table off in the corner.

A large yawn stretched Fluttershy’s face widely, drawing a hoof to cover her mouth and pinkness to her cheeks.  “Oh, excuse me.”  Her friends grinned and rolled their eyes.  “It’s getting rather late…”

Rarity clapped a hoof gently on the mare’s back.  “Oh, nonsense; the night’s still young.”

“For you, maybe,” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing at her eye with a hoof.  “You an’ Twilight are up all hours, sleepin’ away half the morning.  We got stuff to do every morning, right Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy nodded gently, shooting Rarity an apologetic smile.  “I never really was much of a night-owl.”

Twilight frowned thoughtfully.  “I never pictured you for the ‘early to bed, early to rise’ type, Rainbow Dash, what with how often I see you napping.”

“Hey!”  Rainbow glared at her friend, its effect ruined by a smirk on her muzzle.  “I work hard
and
nap hard.”

Twilight giggled and scanned the room, watching Pinkie Pie see to the other remaining guests.  Her brow drew together in scrutiny.  “…Come to think of it, I’ve seen Pinkie Pie awake really early in the morning
and
really late at night.  Does…does she ever sleep?”

Glancing with worry between the bouncing party host and Twilight’s critical expression, Rarity grimaced.  “It’s…best not to think about it.”

Rainbow Dash yawned loudly, releasing a series of crackling pops from her spine as she stretched.  She smacked her lips in satisfaction.  “Heck of a party she threw, that’s for sure.”

Nodding gently, Fluttershy’s voice became reserved.  “I’m sorry it didn’t start out so well, Rainbow.”

“Yeah…”  Rainbow sighed, her attention shifting to the darkened window.  Her eyes grew distant.  “I still can’t believe Gilda did that…”  Twilight looked to her other friends, searching for something to say.  Before they could do anything more than frown at each other, Rainbow turned back with a confident smirk on her lips.  “Anyway, it was a totally awesome party.”

“Well,” Twilight sighed, pulling herself onto her hooves, “Despite being a night-owl, I think I’m going to head home.  Goodnight, everypony.”  A murmur of parting words ran through the group as Twilight cantered to Pinkie to say her goodbyes.  The bell over the shop door tinkling as she left, Twilight inhaled the cool night air deeply and headed down the street towards her library.  Her silent walk was interrupted by the sound of beating wings.

Rainbow Dash clattered down on the cobbled street next to the unicorn, her brow drawn in worry and her smile hopeful.  “Hey, Twilight…do you mind if I talk to you?”

Blinking, Twilight slowed her pace.  “Sure thing.  Everything alright, Rainbow?”

They made their way down the short road to the tree together, Rainbow Dash’s face forward and hidden from Twilight’s view.  “…No.”

Twilight straightened in her walk, her eyes opening in surprise.  Still new to Ponyville, she hadn’t been friends with anypony for long, but the level of weary sadness in the brash mare’s voice was strikingly out of place.  Not fully over her shock, they arrived at the darkened doorway to Twilight’s home.  In a glow of magic, the portal sprung open.  “Would you like to come in and talk about it?”

Nodding, the subdued Rainbow cantered into the library.  Twilight followed behind, lighting the lanterns in the main room and kitchen with a small exertion of will.  Twilight smiled hopefully at her friend.  “Want some coffee?”

Rainbow’s expression immediately brightened.  “Oh man, I love coffee.”  A slight bounce back in her step, she followed Twilight into the kitchen and sat at the table.  Her brief flare of cheer drained quickly as she watched Twilight flit about the kitchen, boiling water and filling a coffee press with fresh ground coffee.  After pouring in the heated water, Twilight floated the steeping press-pot and two cups to the table and sat opposite Rainbow Dash.

“So, what’s going on, Rainbow?”

The daredevil sunk in her chair, idly running her hooves along the table.  Ears drooping, she picked through her words slowly and carefully.  “I’m…not okay right now.  I didn’t want to make everypony at the party feel worse about what happened, but…”

Twilight’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped.  Glittering sparkles of light flashed off the tears growing in Rainbow’s eyes, threatening to spill down her face.  “Rainbow…”

“…Gilda was my best friend, Twilight.  I hadn’t seen her in a while, but I just told my best friend to get lost.”

Trails of wet raced down Rainbow’s cheeks, darkening her coat.  Twilight stood roughly, her chair squeaking loudly across the floor.  She raced around the table and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow’s neck.  The proud mare stiffened in her embrace for a second before sniffling and accepting the affection, nuzzling her face into Twilight’s chest.  Twilight soothingly murmured, “I’m so sorry, Rainbow Dash.  I should have realized…”

“N-no, it’s fine,” she struggled out, pulling back from the hug and wiping her face.  “Nopony here really knew her, and…and I’m not sorry I told her to leave.”  She looked Twilight in the eye and smiled sadly.  “If that’s who she is, I don’t want her in my life.  It still hurts, though.”

Twilight nodded, her heart aching.  She cantered back towards her seat, pressing the filter down through the coffee pot and pouring two steaming cups.  “Cream?  Sugar?”

“Nah,” she mumbled, “I like it black.”

Twilight smirked and nodded, floating her own black cup to her lips.  “I’m truly sorry, Rainbow Dash.  I can’t imagine needing to tell a friend to leave…”  She looked into her mug, her gaze introspective.  “…Needing to tell one of you girls to leave…”  She re-sharpened, drawing her focus back to Rainbow.  “Why didn’t you say something at the party?  It must have been awful trying to have fun if you were hurting.”