Red Thread, Pt 3 - Old Version

Major edit!!!  I'm updating this part of the fic, extending some scenes and whatnot.  I'm moving this version to scraps as I submit a new version of Part 3.  Stay tuned!




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Warning: this is a femslash fic based in the "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" universe, so if you don't like this kind of stuff, just bear in mind that you don't have to read it.  That is all.

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Sewing the Red Thread of Fate - Part 3 (Old Version)
By The Lovely Penguin

Twilight Sparkle cantered towards Sugarcube Corner, intent on her mission.  "I can't let Fluttershy down," she said to nopony in particular.  As she approached the place it was apparent it was closed: Twilight knew the Cakes took Sundays off, but Pinkie Pie should still have been there—

Gone for a teenie weenie, itsy-bitsy little bit; be back at 11! Read a hastily scrawled note taped up in the window.  

It was far past the indicated time; where was the pink pony?  Twilight sighed as her stomach growled.  Darn, I was so hoping to get something to eat before I did this, too, the purple unicorn thought to herself.  She so enjoyed the danishes that came from that bakery.  Oh well.  She was too nervous to eat much, anyway.  If things would just work out as planned Fluttershy would get the girl she wanted, leaving Rarity for the other unicorn.  She silently prayed to Celestia that Applejack would return Fluttershy's feelings as she headed towards Sweet Apple Acres.

* * *

While Fluttershy waited for her friend to return with information about her secret crush she busied herself with some minor tasks that needed tending to.   She idly swept her living room floor, her thoughts wandering.

She thought about Applejack: she was tough, strong, brave, protective…being around her the pegasus felt safe.  Fluttershy admired the mare's take-charge, no-nonsense attitude that got her through so many tight spots.  Sure, Rainbow Dash was also brave and strong, but she was a little too wild and rambunctious for her.  Besides, the yellow pegasus found the earth pony more physically attractive: her Southern drawl was so sweet, her cute white freckles accentuated her cheeks…Fluttershy also adored the apple farmer's  caring green eyes, her motherly smile…the way she roughly tied her blond hair back…

As she snapped back to reality the pegasus realized her wings had unfolded at some point, each feather standing fully erect; she blushed and quickly tucked them back in, hoping no one had seen the embarrassing display.  Luckily for her she had been alone in the room, none of her abundant animal friends present at the moment.  Angel Bunny certainly would have given her guff had he seen her.

Suddenly an image of Rarity flashed in her mind: the way she was looking at Fluttershy so expectantly when she said she loved her, hope and nervousness in her eyes.  She thought of the dress that was currently lying crumpled and wrinkled at the foot of her bed.  Guilt filled the pegasus.  Why did she have to feel this way?  She had already decided a long time ago that Rarity would remain a close friend and nothing more.  After all of the painful waiting she had moved on.  You want someone brave and strong anyway, Fluttershy, she thought to herself.

She could like somepony else, right?  She could still stay friends with Rarity…but what about the awkwardness?  Fluttershy wouldn't be able to bear hanging out with her friend, knowing that deep down the other pony longed for something more.  

This was why she had gone to Twilight: she wanted to sort out this tangled mess.  She wasn't sure if she agreed with the unicorn's solution, though: she said that if Fluttershy and Applejack got together Rarity would have no choice but to drop the issue.  But, Fluttershy thought, what would that change?   Wouldn't that just crush Rarity's hopes and strain her friendship with Applejack?

She needed to sort all of this out; a good walk might be able to clear her thoughts.  Fluttershy spat out her broom and gently set it down.  Knowing her animal friends would watch her cottage while she was away she set out for a quiet stroll around town.

* * *

"Hello, Applejack?  Are you home?" Twilight called out as she approached the farmhouse.  She was met with no answer.  The purple unicorn took a step towards her friend's residence when she suddenly heard activity coming from the barn; she headed in that direction.  "Applejack, are you in here?"  She gently pulled the barn door open enough for her to enter.  Allowing her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting she spotted the mare she sought off in a corner.  "A.J.?"

"Oh, hey, Twilight," the orange pony turned and greeted her friend with an overly sincere grin, "What brings ya here to Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Um…Applejack?  What are you doing in a pile of hay?"  Twilight looked at her friend skeptically: she actually looked kind of…nervous.

"Oh, uh…nuthin' much, Twi…Ah was just, uh…takin' care o' some business here in the barn.  Y'all can run along inside my house; Ah'll be done in a moment."  The apple-themed pony carefully climbed out of the hay pile, nervously glancing back at it.

Twilight's gaze flicked to the hay and then back to her friend.  "Oh, is there any way I can help?  It sounded like you were lifting something heavy."  Noticing something she added, "And where's your hat?"

"Mah hat?"  She looked around.  "Shucks, it musta fallen off when Ah was, uh…movin' the hay bales around.  But it's okay, Ah don't need any help.  You can wait inside, if you like."

The unicorn cocked her head, "Is something wrong?  You don't seem yourself today."

"Oh, uh…Ah'm fine, really.  Is there sumthin ya'll wanted to talk about?" She gave another awkward grin.

"Actually, yes," Twilight took a deep breath.  "You see, somepony has a crush on you, but…" she hesitated, "…she wants to know if you even like other mares."

Applejack's face flushed, then she narrowed her eyes, "Twilight, that's a mighty big question to just come out and ask somepony."

"I know, I know, but this pony…she kinda has pretty strong feelings for you."

"Ah'm sorry, but…Ah'm just not interested."  The orange mare closed her eyes and looked away, her ears drooping.

No!  She had to like Fluttershy!  "Uh, are you sure?  You…you don't even know who it is yet," Twilight responded, the tension in her voice apparent.

Applejack hung her head and said in a low voice, "Twi, ya can't go makin' assumptions 'bout the way someone's barn door swings; it's too sensitive an issue.  Please stop."  She blushed again and turned around, "Now, if you'll excuse me, Ah've got some work to finish."

The unicorn turned away.  If Applejack didn't go for Fluttershy, there was no reason why Rarity wouldn't continue to pursue the pegasus.  But if she didn't even like other mares, which would be normal, what was she to do?  She closed her eyes and fought back the urge to cry.  "A-all right…thank you," Twilight said with a strained voice as she started to depart.

"Aww, please don't be a sad, sad, gloomy pants, Twilight!"

Twilight spun around.  "Huh?"

A pink pony popped her head out from the same hay pile Applejack had been in, her curly pink hair partially covered by Applejack's hat.  She was frowning.  "I'm so super sorry Applejack doesn't like you.  It's not her fault!  You see, I—"

"Pinkie Pie!" the unicorn called out in surprise, "What are you doing here?"  

"Pinkie, Ah told you not ta say nothin'!" Applejack yelled at the energetic filly crossly.

Twilight looked at Applejack, who appeared angry and embarrassed, staring daggers at the other earth pony.  The unicorn narrowed her eyes, asking, "A.J., you knew Pinkie Pie was here?"

"Well…" the earth pony looked to the floor.

"Applejack, you represent the Element of Honesty!  Why did you try to hide her?  What were you two doing?"

"We were rolling in the hay, silly!" replied Pinkie enthusiastically.

"Er…" knowing Pinkie Pie, a comment like that could go either way, so Twilight decided to leave it at that.

"Pinkie, just leave the talkin' to me," Applejack said flatly before turning back to her unicorn friend.  "We were…all right, Ah'll be level with ya: me and Pinkie Pie are seein' each other.  That's why Ah said Ah'm not interested in anypony else."

Twilight was dumbstruck.  She simply stood where she was, staring blankly at her two friends with her mouth agape.

"Ah know it may seem strange to ya, but we really do love each other," assured Applejack, "Ah can't really tell ya when it happened, but somethin' just clicked with the two of us."

When Twilight Sparkle at last regained the ability to say something she blurted out, "Wait, so you are…and Pinkie too?"  At this point she was dumbfounded.  How many of her friends were into other mares now?  Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash…apparently Applejack and Pinkie Pie…including herself, that was everyone in the group!  How had they all managed to keep this from each other for so long?

At some point during Twilight's introspection Pinkie Pie had exited the hay pile and starting bouncing around the barn, talking about Celestia-knows-what.  "…so I went to ask the mayor, but then I found out no one wants to read about that, so—"

"Pinkie, Ah don't think Twilight needs ta hear all that, whatever the hay it is," Applejack interjected.  Addressing Twilight she said, "Listen, Sugar Cube, don't take it personal, but Ah don't wanna date you; Ah only see you as a friend.  Pinkie and Ah are happy together.  Ah might not understand her all the time, but she keeps me laughin' and seeing the brighter side of things.  We get along okay.  You're still one a mah best friends, though."

Pinkie Pie interjected, "Plus, we both totally love to bake stuff!  Though I think she might be a teensy weensy bit better than I am."

Twilight turned her attention back to Applejack.  "What?  Oh, I'm not the one that likes you!  It's—" she caught herself, "…somepony else.  She didn't want me to say who she was unless she had a chance with you."

"Aww, that's so sweet that Fluttershy likes you, Applejacky!"  Pinkie Pie exclaimed, still bouncing around exuberantly.

"But…I didn't say it was…never mind."  Twilight facehoofed.  "But what am I going to tell her?"

"Ya just tell her I'm already with somepony.  And Ah'd appreciate it if ya don't go around tellin' other ponies about me and Pinkie Pie.  We've managed to keep things under wraps so far…well, for the most part, anyway.  We'll let folks know about us when we're ready to."  Applejack smiled at the unicorn pony.

"Okay," Twilight responded, trying not to seem upset, "I'll see you later."  She quickly turned to go.

"Twi," Applejack called out.

She turned back.  "Yes?"

"Ah hope evr'ything's okay."

"Yeah, it's…fine," she fibbed, galloping off.  "I gotta go."

"You take care, Sugarcube."

"So longy, Twilight!  Please cheer up."

Twilight Sparkle headed off with a heavy feeling in her heart.  She thought to herself, But that didn't solve anything.

* * *

"Darn, you, Rarity!"

The walk Fluttershy was taking wasn't really helping to clarify anything.  She still hadn't reached a conclusion on what to do about Rarity or Applejack.  If anything, it was only making things worse.

Wasn't this what Fluttershy had been hoping for?  Hadn't she wanted to be with Rarity in the first place?  When she first met the unicorn she had been so taken with her beauty and grace.  She was so refined and gentle, not to mention immensely kind with her generosity.  It was almost too much for the pegasus pony to bear.  But no matter how many times Fluttershy tried, no matter how many ways she tried to say it, she just couldn't bring herself to tell Rarity how she felt.  

Why did she have to be so shy?  It didn't matter; she had waited so long that the feeling passed and she had simply given up.  It was for the better, the pegasus supposed: she hadn't wanted to jeopardize the friendship she already had with Rarity anyway.  

But why did her best friend have to do this to her now?  Fluttershy had gotten over her and moved on…but now the unicorn had to go and open old wounds.  What was she to think now?  She still wanted Applejack.  But…what if the earth pony didn't like her back?  And if Rarity actually did have feelings for her now…

She thought of what had originally drawn her to Rarity again: her grace, her beauty, her fashion sense…But she wasn't brave and strong, like Applejack was.  Rarity wouldn't be able to protect her in the same way.  She wasn't as connected to nature.  Then again, Applejack wasn't as graceful and refined as Rarity was…

"Oh, this isn't helping!"  Fluttershy screamed.  She looked around.  "I'm sorry," she said meekly to a couple of birds who were quickly flying away.  The yellow pegasus heaved a great sigh and headed back to her cottage.

"Maybe a nice hot bath will—Eep!"  There was Rarity standing right in front of her house!  She couldn't face her right now.  The timid pegasus nimbly jumped into a nearby bush, praying to Celestia that Rarity hadn't noticed her.

* * *

Now what was Twilight Sparkle going to do?  She had to step back and analyze the situation if she was going to make any sense of it.  She had a crush on Rarity, who was apparently madly in love with Fluttershy, who liked Applejack, who was already in a relationship with Pinkie Pie.

Furthermore, Twilight had left Rarity a love letter (which she hoped she had gotten), while Rarity had made a dress for Fluttershy.  Applejack did not share in Fluttershy's feelings, which meant Rarity would have no reason to consider Twilight when the pegasus was still available.  But…did Fluttershy even like Rarity back?  Oh…Why didn't any of her books on romance have any information on something this complicated?

She needed to talk with Fluttershy…who happened to be jumping into a bush?  Twilight was just outside the pegasus' house and could see her hiding for some reason.  She rushed over, calling out, "Fluttershy, what are you doing?"

"Please don't yell, Twilight," was the muffled response from the bush, "I don't want Rarity to know I'm here."

The purple unicorn lowered her voice.  "Rarity?" she looked over and saw the aforementioned pony standing in front of Fluttershy's house.  "What's she doing here?"

"I don't know…maybe she wants to talk to me?"

"Well, that much is obvious," Twilight responded flatly.  "I meant…never mind.  So…why are you hiding from your best friend?"

"I-I don't want to talk to her just yet."

"Fluttershy, you have to!  How long are you going to just leave her standing outside your door?"

"Um…until she leaves?"

"Fluttershy."

"Uh…but what do I say to her?  W-what about Applejack?"

"Oh!" Twilight's ears drooped as she suddenly remembered the disappointing news she bore.  She looked to the ground.  "Well—" Before she could finish, however, she was cut off.

* * *

Rarity ambled up to Fluttershy's house filled with hope.  Well, she felt more than that: her stomach was knotting up something terrible.  She had Fluttershies in her stomach.  Butterflies.  She meant butterflies.  "Calm down; you can do this, Rarity," she said to herself.  She nervously reached up and knocked on the door to the cottage.

There was no response.

"Fluttershy?  Dearie, are you in there?" the unicorn called out.

No one appeared to be home.  

Rarity sighed, "I guess I'll just wait here then until she gets back."


As it turned out she didn't have to wait too long before she heard voices.  Looking over she saw her friend Twilight standing nearby and talking to someone out of sight.

Rarity approached, saying, "Twilight Sparkle, are you talking to a tree?"

Twilight looked up, looking first surprised, then nervous.  "Oh, uh…hi, Rarity…"  She looked to the ground and blushed, her ears pointing down.  Rarity could understand why she was so tense, the poor thing: after leaving such a personal, heartfelt letter, she must have felt awfully shy about talking to her face-to-face.

"Listen, Twilight, about your letter…" how was she going to say this?  She certainly wasn't expecting to meet her here; she was prepared to talk to Fluttershy, not her.  "I think it's very touching that you like me, but…"

"You're in love with Fluttershy," she finished, no emotion in her voice.

Rarity was taken aback.  "What?  H-how did you know?"

"Well…she told me.   She wanted somepony to talk to after you gave her a dress and told her how you loved her."

"Oh, well…yes, I suppose I was a bit…forward in my approach.  That's actually why I came to talk to her.  You haven't happened to see her, have you?"

"Actually, I have," she looked up, "But…she said she likes Applejack…not you."

"Applejack?"  What could the pegasus possibly see in her?  She didn't have time to dwell on this thought, though.

"Yes, but…" Twilight looked like she wanted to say more, but couldn't bring herself to do so.

Suddenly a familiar yellow pegasus poked her head out of the nearby bushes.  "Um…excuse me."

Both Rarity and Twilight turned their heads.

Fluttershy shrank back a moment before continuing: "I've been giving it a lot of thought, and I've decided I don't need to know whether or not Applejack likes me.  I'm sorry for making you waste your time, Twilight Sparkle, but…" she trailed off.

"But…?"  Rarity and Twilight said at the same time as they leaned in close.

Fluttershy leaped out of the bush that she was hiding in, causing the other two ponies to jump back a bit.  She faced the white unicorn.  "Oh, I do love you, Rarity!"

"You do?" Rarity asked, her heart pounding.  She had guessed Fluttershy was the one Twilight was talking to, given her love of hiding from things; however, she didn't see this confession coming!

"You do?" Twilight looked mainly confused, but also showed a hint of disappointment.

The pegasus pony's words poured out, almost running into each other: "Well…I've really been struggling.  The truth is, I've actually liked you for some time, but I was too shy to ever tell you that.  I had waited so long that eventually I sorta…gave up.  But after the way you said you loved me…I've made up my mind."  The timid pony blushed and turned away slightly.

Rarity couldn't believe what she was hearing.   "Are-are you serious?"  Her heart was hammering in her ears.  She felt as if she'd faint…

"Why, do you not like me anymore?  I'm sorry…"  Fluttershy's gaze dropped, her ears pointing down.

"Like you?  Oh, Fluttershy, you know I love you!" with that Rarity rushed over and wrapped her forelegs around her best friend.  She could scarcely believe this was real.  She was in bliss…until she saw Twilight Sparkle.  The younger unicorn looked both happy and sad at the same time.  She was smiling, but it also looked like she was holding back tears.

Rarity stepped back.  "Wait, Fluttershy…I think we all need to sit down and talk.  I don't know if Twilight has told you, but…she too is in love with me."

Surprised, Fluttershy turned, mouth agape, to a blushing Twilight.

Rarity continued, "I simply couldn't get into a relationship with anypony knowing that it would hurt one of my best frien—"

"Rarity, no…it's fine," Twilight said with a controlled voice, "I think you two belong together.  I'm…happy for you."  

"But darling, I know how much you love me," Rarity replied, "That letter you left was not insincere.  What you told me was from the heart; take this from a pony who knows passion."

"But…if you like Fluttershy, and she likes you…how could I split you two apart?  I think…"  Twilight spoke in a resigned tone, "If you two love each other, I…I won't interfere.  After all…we're still friends."  She looked up and gave a weak smile.
"But Twilight, if Rarity means that much to you—" started Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy, if you really do love her…I want…I want you two to be together. "

"I'm sorry I made you go all the way to Sweet Apple Acres for nothing."  Fluttershy hung her head shyly.

Twilight replied with a sigh, "It's fine.  Just…take good care of Rarity."  She silently added "…for me."  With that the purple unicorn walked back towards Ponyville, her head and tail low.

"Oh, I feel so bad for her," said Fluttershy as she stared off in the direction Twilight Sparkle had gone.

"And I, too," Rarity replied, following the other's gaze, "Perhaps we can do something for her to cheer her up, like making her a dress?"

"I think that would be a lovely idea."  The yellow pegasus moved closer to her friend.

Rarity gently nuzzled back, feeling her warmth against her body.  "But for now I think she wants to be alone."

The two let that hang in the air for a moment as they stood together in the afternoon sun.  Rarity indeed felt bad for the other unicorn, but she knew somewhere out there she'd find her true love.

* * *

The pair had moved to a quiet meadow nearby Fluttershy's abode, enjoying each other's company as the day crawled to a close.  After a fashion Rarity turned to the other pony, exclaiming, "Oh, Fluttershy!" This was it!  This was the perfect romance she had been longing for.  She snuggled close to her companion.  "So, all this time…we had been keeping our love a secret from each other?"

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy said quietly.

"Don't be sorry, dear.  I kept it as much of a secret as you did.  Oh, after that fashion model incident we should have learned not to do that!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right.  But still, how do you tell your best friend something like that?"

"Yes, I see what you mean.  It doesn't matter now, though, because we're together at last."  The two sat down in the soft, sun-warmed grass.

Fluttershy's rose-colored mane shone in the waning sunlight.  She turned to Rarity and blushed.  "Um…"

"What is it, dearie?" asked the unicorn.

"Well…It's just that…I've never, um…kissed anypony before," the pegasus practically whispered.

"What was that?"

"I've never kissed anyone before."

"You haven't what?"

"I've never kissed before!" admitted Fluttershy loudly, her face red.

"Oh, darling, you poor thing!"  Rarity wasn't surprised.  After all, this was Fluttershy.  "But you need not worry; I shall make sure your first kiss is as fabulous as you've always dreamt it to be.  Now, close your eyes."

"O-okay."  Fluttershy squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

"Not so hard."

She relaxed, her eyes simply closed now.

"Next, pucker your lips…no, not like you've eaten a lemon…no…that's better, but…no, that's way too much…stop, that's perfect!"  Fluttershy looked so cute just sitting there with her lips slightly puffed out in an O shape.    Rarity almost wished she could take a picture of the scene…She shook her head, returning to the present.  "And finally…" she leaned in and puckered her own lips finely, pressing them against the other pony's moist, delicate mouth.

Fluttershy squeaked in surprise but didn't pull away; in fact, she pressed back gently.

Rarity felt her face flush with warmth as she kissed her friend tenderly.  She dared not try to make it a French kiss: she was sure the timid pegasus wasn't quite ready for anything so—

Suddenly she felt something warm and moist slide between her lips, probing into her mouth.  Surprised, she looked up and saw Fluttershy's eyes open, nervousness in them.  Rarity stared back, gave a reassuring smile (as best she could, given her mouth was full), and pushed back with her own tongue, sliding it across Fluttershy's.

The unicorn closed her eyes and savored the moment as her tongue intertwined with that of her friend, each one tasting the other…

Finally, the two pulled apart, looking at each other in the orange glow of the sunset.  Fluttershy was the first to speak: "I—I'm sorry, I've just always wanted to try that…I hope you don't mind…"  She was blushing, but also smiling.

Rarity nuzzled close to the pegasus again, responding, "Why, of course I liked it.  Do you know how long I had been waiting for that moment?"

"Probably as long as I have…"

"Well, I think it was worth the wait.  That was something, wasn't it?"  She gently rose, offering a forehoof to the other pony.  "I don't know about you, but I feel I could use some freshening up.  What do you say to a nice spa visit for just the two of us?"





Sewing the Red Thread of Fate


Fin.







* * *

So I never had a chance in the first place, Twilight Sparkle thought to herself.  It was evening, and she was by herself: Spike wouldn't return until Monday.  Without the little dragon with her, she felt more alone than ever.  All of her research on romance and courtship had gotten her nowhere.  At least…at least Rarity and Fluttershy were happy.  She couldn't press the issue with the other unicorn.  She saw in her eyes how much Fluttershy meant to her; she wouldn't separate those two if she could.

But where did that leave her?  She had no one now.  Twilight got up and cleared a space at her writing desk.  She magically picked up a quill, inked it, and unfurled a blank scroll.


Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned a valuable lesson in friendship.  I learned that sometimes friendship requires sacrifice and to put the needs of my friends before my own.  If you truly love someone, you should think of what's best for them, and be able to let them go.    

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.


  She rolled up the scroll and set it down in front of her.   The report seemed kind of short, but she couldn't think of anything else to write at the moment anyway.  The little pony sighed and laid her head on the table, letting her tears flow freely as she silently cried.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.  Twilight lifted her head and looked towards the source of the noise.  "Who's there?"

"A friend."  The response was muffled, so Twilight couldn't tell who it was, but she could still hear it.

"Huh?"  She got up and hastily dried her face before opening the door.  

Standing before her was Rainbow Dash with a beautiful crimson flower in her mouth.  She was smiling, looking hopeful.