MLP: FiM - Queer_Fest Fic
Title: (Almost) Everypony Loves Somepony Sometime
Author: ohsoboring
Fandom: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Pairing/characters: Fluttershy, minor background pairings
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Ridiculously saccharine, unbeta'd
Prompt: Fluttershy, everyone she knows seems to be making eyes at each other and pairing off, but she's just not feeling it. Actually, come to think of it... she never has.
Summary: In this episode of the beloved cartoon, Fluttershy tries to come to terms with something that makes her just a little different.
Warnings: Talking ponies?
Author's Notes: Written for queer_fest 2011. Original post is here. Many, many thanks to asexuality for the link; I've never had so many comments before, let alone comments from strangers who have had similar experiences. It's good to know that there are communities out there where asexuality and aromanticism are acceptable. <3
“It’s simply not normal, darling.”
Fluttershy winced. “But-“
“No buts!” Rarity was quick to interrupt, momentarily diverting her attention from the garment she was working on to her friend. “Everypony needs somepony to love!”
“I love all of my friends…”
“Not that kind of love, Fluttershy, honestly." The unicorn shook her head the pegasus’ naiveté and abandoned her project altogether. “Surely you’ve noticed that you’re the odd pony out?”
“No,” Fluttershy replied quietly. Odd pony out? Her friends never made her feel excluded. They hadn’t been spending as much time together lately as they used to, but that didn’t mean anything.
Rarity sighed dramatically and elaborated. “Rainbow Dash has been utterly obsessed with Lightning since they met at the Grand Galloping Gala. One hardly sees one without the other! And Applejack is wholly infatuated with that charmingly rustic cherry farmer. Why, she’s even been in to ask moi for fashion advice! Can you imagine that? Our dear, unsophisticated Applejack caring about her appearance?”
“I’m so glad they’re making new friends, and everypony wants to look nice sometimes…”
“Fluttershy! What about Spike? Surely you’ve seen those ghastly shirts he’s been wearing! As touching as his desire to wear my likeness on a shirt is, that’s no way to court a lady. But you see, don’t you, that he clearly adores me?”
The pegasus considered this for a moment before saying, “He does admire you very much.”
A supremely frustrated Rarity fought to maintain her cool demeanor with nominal success. “It’s more than that! I’m talking about Love-capital ‘l’! The kind I feel towards Him-“
“But I thought you were disappointed when you met-“
“Not the point! Fluttershy, darling, even Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle have found their Hims, although I certainly don’t know how. They lack your innate grace and poise.”
"Rarity..."
“As I’ve said, it’s absolutely not normal! You must find somepony! If a ruffian like Rainbow Dash can find that special pony, I don’t see why a perfectly nice mare like you can’t!”
“Oh, but Rarity… I’m perfectly happy without capital-‘l’-Love,” Fluttershy protested weakly. “You and our friends and all of my little animal friends are wonderful.”
Rarity gave Fluttershy a pitying glance and returned to her sewing. “It’s simply tragic, being as beautiful and as alone as you are. Promise me you’ll at least mull over what I’ve said?”
“But I-“
“Promise me!”
“Of course I will, Rarity, if it means that much to you."
-----
Fluttershy knew enough about Love and she didn’t understand why Rarity thought she needed it so desperately. It wasn’t just Rarity, either; Rainbow Dash had introduced her to a member of the Wonderbolts with clear intentions of setting them up, Twilight Sparkle was always eager to point out eligible stallions, and even Pinkie Pie had a way of ensuring that Fluttershy inevitably found herself alone with somepony or other at her parties. She was glad that Love made her friends so happy, but she didn’t feel a need to experience it personally. She never had. Even as a young filly Fluttershy would listen quietly as the other girls giggled about their latest crushes.
Maybe Rarity was right and she wasn’t normal.
Bothered by this thought, Fluttershy made her way across Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres. There was only one pony who hadn’t tried to push her into a relationship and Fluttershy needed her help.
-----
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “This ain’t about the birds and bees, is it?”
The hardworking pony had deemed Fluttershy’s visit important enough to momentarily put off apple bucking and was prepared to field her questions-after offering her a vast array of apple-related treats, of course. “’Cause I had that talk with Apple Bloom and I’ll eat my hat if I ever want to explain that again.”
“Oh, no,” Fluttershy reassured her gently. “I know all about the… the birds and bees.”
Applejack looked skeptical. “You do know we ain’t talking about the birds and bees that y’all like spending so much time with, right?”
“Of course.”
“Whooee! Didn’t think I could help you if we had to start way back at the beginning. So what’s it you need to ask me about, sugar cube?”
A nervous Fluttershy fixed her eyes on her hooves. What if Applejack reacted the same way that Rarity had? Fluttershy didn’t know if she could stand having all of her friends pitying her for something that she wasn’t bothered by. She finally worked up the courage to murmur, “Do you think I’m normal?”
Her friend gave her a blank look. “Come again?”
“Do you think I’m normal, Applejack?” she asked again, raising her voice to a more audible level.
“’Course you’re normal! What the hay kinda question is that? There ain’t nothing wrong with you.”
“Are you sure? Rarity said-“
“Now don’t pay no never mind to what Rarity says, sugar cube. You’re as normal as the day is long.”
Fluttershy wasn’t so sure. “Oh. Then it’s okay to… to not be in love?”
Applejack stared at the pegasus, either lost in thought or thoroughly thrown off by the question. She recovered quickly and laughed. “Aw, shucks, Fluttershy! There ain’t nothing wrong with that. Just means you haven’t met the right stallion-or mare, I ain’t one to judge-yet.”
“But I don’t know if I want to be in love.”
Confusion colored Applejack’s voice. “Beg pardon?”
“I-I mean, I love my friends, but…” Fluttershy trailed off, uncertain and embarrassed.
“But you don’t want that other kinda love?” Applejack finished for her. “Huh. That’s a mite strange, but it don’t mean you’re strange. You sure you ain’t just a late bloomer?”
Fluttershy wilted. “Oh, Applejack… I just don’t know what to think. Rarity doesn’t think that anypony can be happy alone but I’m ever so happy with everything the way it is, and I’m especially happy that being in love makes everypony else so happy! There must be something wrong with me.”
“Woah, Nelly! Stop that kinda talk,” Applejack said gently. “I’m as confused as a frog at a pie-eating contest, but I know there ain’t anything wrong with you.”
“Really?”
“Honest as apples, sugar cube.” Applejack’s reassurance was rewarded with a tiny smile. “Now let’s get you to somepony who knows a few things and see if we can’t figure out what’s got your feathers all ruffled.”
-----
As grateful as Fluttershy was for Applejack’s acceptance, she was still uneasy. Why did she have to be different? Why couldn’t she explain her feelings to her best friends? She felt so vulnerable with her secret out, and it was such a confusing and odd secret, too. Fluttershy knew of many pony couples but she had never met anypony like her. She didn’t want romance or bouquets or a fancy wedding; she couldn’t imagine holding hooves with somepony on walks or nuzzling when no one was looking. None of those things were for Fluttershy.
Even with Applejack’s confidence in her, Fluttershy was afraid she was somehow defective.
-----
“Applejack, I don’t think I have any books about this.”
“C’mon, Twi,” Applejack pressed. “You’ve gotta know something about this what with all your studying!”
Twilight Sparkle gave a stubborn Applejack and a dismayed Fluttershy an apologetic look. “Listen. I’m sorry, but I’ve never heard of a pony who wanted to be alone.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Fluttershy said softly in an attempt to clarify. “I just don’t want what Rainbow Dash has with Lightning, or what Spike wants to have with Rarity, or-“
“I understand, Fluttershy, but I just don’t know why you feel that way. Are you sure you’re not just waiting for the right pony?”
“Already covered that,” Applejack interjected. “Answer’s no, and she ain’t slow to start feeling all romantic-like, neither.”
Fluttershy wanted to point out that she wasn’t entirely sure about either of those, but her friends were trying so hard to help. She didn’t want to be even more of a bother.
“That doesn’t make sense!” Twilight began removing books from her many shelves, skimming them, and then tossing them aside without ceremony. “All animals, including ponies, are driven to pair up! It’s just natural!”
Applejack took offense on Fluttershy’s behalf. “You saying that Fluttershy ain’t natural?”
“No, I-well, biologically speaking it’s abnormal-“
“Don’t you talk about her that way, missy!”
“I’m only looking at the matter from a logical, scientific point of view!”
“You can stuff your science if it’s gonna upset Fluttershy more’n she already is!”
Fluttershy sank to the ground as her friends fought. What a mess! If only she hadn’t mentioned anything to Rarity! If only she wasn’t so strange.
“Heeey, what’re you playing?” A cheerful voice cut through Fluttershy’s thoughts and the escalating argument. “Whatever it is, can I play?”
Twilight Sparkle brought a hoof to her face in dismay. “Pinkie Pie, we’re not playing.”
“Right,” Applejack added. “This here’s serious business.”
The pink pony bounced into Twilight’s library, miraculously missing the books strewn about the floor. “Ooooh, then you must be planning a party!”
“Pinkie-“
“Parties are the most serious of all serious businesses! You sillies, you’re doing it all wrong, too!”
“We ain’t planning a thing,” said Applejack. “Me and Twi are trying to help Fluttershy here.”
Much to Fluttershy’s alarm, Pinkie Pie zipped over to her and immediately began looking her over. “Why? Is something wrong with her? Is she sick? Has she been eating too many cupcakes? Did-“
“No,” Twilight Sparkle interrupted impatiently. “It’s nothing like that.”
Something dawned on Fluttershy. She eased away from Pinkie Pie’s inspection and smiled. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me at all.”
“Then why was I tearing through my books to find an explanation for you?”
“Because I thought I needed one,” Fluttershy answered quietly, a small smile on her face, “and because I was afraid there was something wrong with me because I’m different.”
Applejack clearly wasn’t following. “Huh? When’d you change your mind about being upset?”
“I know!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed before Fluttershy could so much as utter a word. “She needs to play cricket! You stay here and I’ll go get the bats and pies!” With that, the pink pony bounced out of the library, leaving a deafening silence in her wake.
Fluttershy finally spoke up. “Thanks to somepony, I realized that it’s okay to be different. After all, we like Pinkie Pie and she’s very different. Real friends don’t mind… they love their friends for who they are, differences and all.”
“Even if some of those differences are downright confounding,” Applejack added warmly.
“Or,” Twilight Sparkle chimed in, “when those differences involve pie and being completely random!”
As the three ponies shared a laugh, Fluttershy didn’t feel so strange.
-----
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today my friends showed me that everypony is different-some more than others-and, even if we don’t understand those differences, we should still accept our friends for who they are (and maybe help them accept who they are, too). I might not ever know why Fluttershy isn’t interested in finding love or why Pinkie Pie is so… like Pinkie Pie, but I do know that I wouldn’t change anything about my best friends for the world.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Author: ohsoboring
Fandom: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Pairing/characters: Fluttershy, minor background pairings
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Ridiculously saccharine, unbeta'd
Prompt: Fluttershy, everyone she knows seems to be making eyes at each other and pairing off, but she's just not feeling it. Actually, come to think of it... she never has.
Summary: In this episode of the beloved cartoon, Fluttershy tries to come to terms with something that makes her just a little different.
Warnings: Talking ponies?
Author's Notes: Written for queer_fest 2011. Original post is here. Many, many thanks to asexuality for the link; I've never had so many comments before, let alone comments from strangers who have had similar experiences. It's good to know that there are communities out there where asexuality and aromanticism are acceptable. <3
“It’s simply not normal, darling.”
Fluttershy winced. “But-“
“No buts!” Rarity was quick to interrupt, momentarily diverting her attention from the garment she was working on to her friend. “Everypony needs somepony to love!”
“I love all of my friends…”
“Not that kind of love, Fluttershy, honestly." The unicorn shook her head the pegasus’ naiveté and abandoned her project altogether. “Surely you’ve noticed that you’re the odd pony out?”
“No,” Fluttershy replied quietly. Odd pony out? Her friends never made her feel excluded. They hadn’t been spending as much time together lately as they used to, but that didn’t mean anything.
Rarity sighed dramatically and elaborated. “Rainbow Dash has been utterly obsessed with Lightning since they met at the Grand Galloping Gala. One hardly sees one without the other! And Applejack is wholly infatuated with that charmingly rustic cherry farmer. Why, she’s even been in to ask moi for fashion advice! Can you imagine that? Our dear, unsophisticated Applejack caring about her appearance?”
“I’m so glad they’re making new friends, and everypony wants to look nice sometimes…”
“Fluttershy! What about Spike? Surely you’ve seen those ghastly shirts he’s been wearing! As touching as his desire to wear my likeness on a shirt is, that’s no way to court a lady. But you see, don’t you, that he clearly adores me?”
The pegasus considered this for a moment before saying, “He does admire you very much.”
A supremely frustrated Rarity fought to maintain her cool demeanor with nominal success. “It’s more than that! I’m talking about Love-capital ‘l’! The kind I feel towards Him-“
“But I thought you were disappointed when you met-“
“Not the point! Fluttershy, darling, even Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle have found their Hims, although I certainly don’t know how. They lack your innate grace and poise.”
"Rarity..."
“As I’ve said, it’s absolutely not normal! You must find somepony! If a ruffian like Rainbow Dash can find that special pony, I don’t see why a perfectly nice mare like you can’t!”
“Oh, but Rarity… I’m perfectly happy without capital-‘l’-Love,” Fluttershy protested weakly. “You and our friends and all of my little animal friends are wonderful.”
Rarity gave Fluttershy a pitying glance and returned to her sewing. “It’s simply tragic, being as beautiful and as alone as you are. Promise me you’ll at least mull over what I’ve said?”
“But I-“
“Promise me!”
“Of course I will, Rarity, if it means that much to you."
-----
Fluttershy knew enough about Love and she didn’t understand why Rarity thought she needed it so desperately. It wasn’t just Rarity, either; Rainbow Dash had introduced her to a member of the Wonderbolts with clear intentions of setting them up, Twilight Sparkle was always eager to point out eligible stallions, and even Pinkie Pie had a way of ensuring that Fluttershy inevitably found herself alone with somepony or other at her parties. She was glad that Love made her friends so happy, but she didn’t feel a need to experience it personally. She never had. Even as a young filly Fluttershy would listen quietly as the other girls giggled about their latest crushes.
Maybe Rarity was right and she wasn’t normal.
Bothered by this thought, Fluttershy made her way across Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres. There was only one pony who hadn’t tried to push her into a relationship and Fluttershy needed her help.
-----
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “This ain’t about the birds and bees, is it?”
The hardworking pony had deemed Fluttershy’s visit important enough to momentarily put off apple bucking and was prepared to field her questions-after offering her a vast array of apple-related treats, of course. “’Cause I had that talk with Apple Bloom and I’ll eat my hat if I ever want to explain that again.”
“Oh, no,” Fluttershy reassured her gently. “I know all about the… the birds and bees.”
Applejack looked skeptical. “You do know we ain’t talking about the birds and bees that y’all like spending so much time with, right?”
“Of course.”
“Whooee! Didn’t think I could help you if we had to start way back at the beginning. So what’s it you need to ask me about, sugar cube?”
A nervous Fluttershy fixed her eyes on her hooves. What if Applejack reacted the same way that Rarity had? Fluttershy didn’t know if she could stand having all of her friends pitying her for something that she wasn’t bothered by. She finally worked up the courage to murmur, “Do you think I’m normal?”
Her friend gave her a blank look. “Come again?”
“Do you think I’m normal, Applejack?” she asked again, raising her voice to a more audible level.
“’Course you’re normal! What the hay kinda question is that? There ain’t nothing wrong with you.”
“Are you sure? Rarity said-“
“Now don’t pay no never mind to what Rarity says, sugar cube. You’re as normal as the day is long.”
Fluttershy wasn’t so sure. “Oh. Then it’s okay to… to not be in love?”
Applejack stared at the pegasus, either lost in thought or thoroughly thrown off by the question. She recovered quickly and laughed. “Aw, shucks, Fluttershy! There ain’t nothing wrong with that. Just means you haven’t met the right stallion-or mare, I ain’t one to judge-yet.”
“But I don’t know if I want to be in love.”
Confusion colored Applejack’s voice. “Beg pardon?”
“I-I mean, I love my friends, but…” Fluttershy trailed off, uncertain and embarrassed.
“But you don’t want that other kinda love?” Applejack finished for her. “Huh. That’s a mite strange, but it don’t mean you’re strange. You sure you ain’t just a late bloomer?”
Fluttershy wilted. “Oh, Applejack… I just don’t know what to think. Rarity doesn’t think that anypony can be happy alone but I’m ever so happy with everything the way it is, and I’m especially happy that being in love makes everypony else so happy! There must be something wrong with me.”
“Woah, Nelly! Stop that kinda talk,” Applejack said gently. “I’m as confused as a frog at a pie-eating contest, but I know there ain’t anything wrong with you.”
“Really?”
“Honest as apples, sugar cube.” Applejack’s reassurance was rewarded with a tiny smile. “Now let’s get you to somepony who knows a few things and see if we can’t figure out what’s got your feathers all ruffled.”
-----
As grateful as Fluttershy was for Applejack’s acceptance, she was still uneasy. Why did she have to be different? Why couldn’t she explain her feelings to her best friends? She felt so vulnerable with her secret out, and it was such a confusing and odd secret, too. Fluttershy knew of many pony couples but she had never met anypony like her. She didn’t want romance or bouquets or a fancy wedding; she couldn’t imagine holding hooves with somepony on walks or nuzzling when no one was looking. None of those things were for Fluttershy.
Even with Applejack’s confidence in her, Fluttershy was afraid she was somehow defective.
-----
“Applejack, I don’t think I have any books about this.”
“C’mon, Twi,” Applejack pressed. “You’ve gotta know something about this what with all your studying!”
Twilight Sparkle gave a stubborn Applejack and a dismayed Fluttershy an apologetic look. “Listen. I’m sorry, but I’ve never heard of a pony who wanted to be alone.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Fluttershy said softly in an attempt to clarify. “I just don’t want what Rainbow Dash has with Lightning, or what Spike wants to have with Rarity, or-“
“I understand, Fluttershy, but I just don’t know why you feel that way. Are you sure you’re not just waiting for the right pony?”
“Already covered that,” Applejack interjected. “Answer’s no, and she ain’t slow to start feeling all romantic-like, neither.”
Fluttershy wanted to point out that she wasn’t entirely sure about either of those, but her friends were trying so hard to help. She didn’t want to be even more of a bother.
“That doesn’t make sense!” Twilight began removing books from her many shelves, skimming them, and then tossing them aside without ceremony. “All animals, including ponies, are driven to pair up! It’s just natural!”
Applejack took offense on Fluttershy’s behalf. “You saying that Fluttershy ain’t natural?”
“No, I-well, biologically speaking it’s abnormal-“
“Don’t you talk about her that way, missy!”
“I’m only looking at the matter from a logical, scientific point of view!”
“You can stuff your science if it’s gonna upset Fluttershy more’n she already is!”
Fluttershy sank to the ground as her friends fought. What a mess! If only she hadn’t mentioned anything to Rarity! If only she wasn’t so strange.
“Heeey, what’re you playing?” A cheerful voice cut through Fluttershy’s thoughts and the escalating argument. “Whatever it is, can I play?”
Twilight Sparkle brought a hoof to her face in dismay. “Pinkie Pie, we’re not playing.”
“Right,” Applejack added. “This here’s serious business.”
The pink pony bounced into Twilight’s library, miraculously missing the books strewn about the floor. “Ooooh, then you must be planning a party!”
“Pinkie-“
“Parties are the most serious of all serious businesses! You sillies, you’re doing it all wrong, too!”
“We ain’t planning a thing,” said Applejack. “Me and Twi are trying to help Fluttershy here.”
Much to Fluttershy’s alarm, Pinkie Pie zipped over to her and immediately began looking her over. “Why? Is something wrong with her? Is she sick? Has she been eating too many cupcakes? Did-“
“No,” Twilight Sparkle interrupted impatiently. “It’s nothing like that.”
Something dawned on Fluttershy. She eased away from Pinkie Pie’s inspection and smiled. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me at all.”
“Then why was I tearing through my books to find an explanation for you?”
“Because I thought I needed one,” Fluttershy answered quietly, a small smile on her face, “and because I was afraid there was something wrong with me because I’m different.”
Applejack clearly wasn’t following. “Huh? When’d you change your mind about being upset?”
“I know!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed before Fluttershy could so much as utter a word. “She needs to play cricket! You stay here and I’ll go get the bats and pies!” With that, the pink pony bounced out of the library, leaving a deafening silence in her wake.
Fluttershy finally spoke up. “Thanks to somepony, I realized that it’s okay to be different. After all, we like Pinkie Pie and she’s very different. Real friends don’t mind… they love their friends for who they are, differences and all.”
“Even if some of those differences are downright confounding,” Applejack added warmly.
“Or,” Twilight Sparkle chimed in, “when those differences involve pie and being completely random!”
As the three ponies shared a laugh, Fluttershy didn’t feel so strange.
-----
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today my friends showed me that everypony is different-some more than others-and, even if we don’t understand those differences, we should still accept our friends for who they are (and maybe help them accept who they are, too). I might not ever know why Fluttershy isn’t interested in finding love or why Pinkie Pie is so… like Pinkie Pie, but I do know that I wouldn’t change anything about my best friends for the world.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle