Blue-Blooded Rivals Pt. 5

"No, no. That can't be right."
>You try your best to convince yourself.
>But you already know.
>Dash just looks back over at the table.
>You rub your temples a bit with your pointers.
>Okay...
>So, what can we do about this?
>You're trying to hook your friend up with this mare.
>But this mare is into you, not him.
>And she's drunk.
>At the table.
>With him.
>And every word she says will dig into Blueblood like a knife.
>Because it'll be directed at you.
>Not him.
>And he'll get pissed.
>Or depressed.
>Fuck, one of them.
>What if both?
>You audibly groan.
>Every single bit of this is going to be incredibly, venomously awkward.
>Rainbow Dash looks back over to you. Reading her facial expression, she seems to be thinking more or less the same thing.
"Okay... so, what's the game plan?"
>She takes a breath, then shrugs.
>Alright.
"Well... she's drunk. That's bad."
>You think things over for just a second.
"Let's just try to get out of this situation with as few battle scars as possible. Maybe this can still be salvaged if we try again with a sober Fluttershy."
>Dash nods.
>"And what about these feelings Fluttershy has for you?"
>You freeze.
>Shit... that's right.
>You're so preoccupied with how Blueblood will react to this, and what you can do to fix this with HIM, that you seem to have forgotten the root of the problem.
"Shit..."
>Rainbow Dash looks at you with worry as you think it over, biting the side of your index finger.
"Well... she barely knows me, right? We only met not too long ago. If I talk things over with her when she's sober, let her down easy, she shouldn't take it too hard, right?"
>Dash bites her tongue.
"She'll get over it, right...?"
>She scrunches her face a little and glances away. "I'm not sure, Anon... I've known her for a while, and... she can form some strong attachments."
>Your heart sinks a bit.
>"But you ARE right... you haven't known her for very long... it shouldn't be TOO hard. It's worth a shot, anyway."
>You sigh in slight relief.
"I suppose we'll cross that bridge when it comes."
>"Yeah. For now, we'll just keep the heat off of you and redirect everything at Blueblood. Let's undo and prevent some damage."
>You take a breath.
"Thanks for all of this, Dash. I really owe you one."
>She smirks and pats you on the back. "Yeah, yeah. We'll think of something you can do to make it up to me."
>You roll your eyes with a smile, which fades rather quickly when you notice yourself and Rainbow Dash approaching the table once more.
>You can see a huge smile on the inebriated Fluttershy's face, while Blueblood looks less than impressed, opting to glance off out of the window to the side.
>You and your guest slide back into the booth and settle yourselves in.
>"Where were you two ferso long?" Fluttershy inquires as you adjust your utensils. "You wernoff messin around with other mares, were you, Anon?"
>Blueblood raises an eyebrow. You grip the fork in your hand so hard it almost bends.
"HA HA."
>You bellow, in the most awkward way possible, with a matching, goofy smile to boot.
>Every word Fluttershy says seems to ramp up the tension at the table. Like a chord stretching further and further, nobody sure of when it'll snap.
"That's a good one, Fluttershy."
>You instantly turn to Blueblood and fire off a fast greeting.
"Hey man, how are you doing?"
>He looks to you surprised, then sits up a little straighter, caught seemingly off guard at his rather instant address.
>"Yeah Prince, enjoy that bit of alone time with Flutters here?" Dash adds. She nudges you with her elbow a couple of times, then winks at the yellow pegasus.
>Ahh. Smart move! You nod with a grin.
>You see Blueblood roll his eyes with a little smile on his face.
>He might even be blushing. "Well--"
>"Oh dun worry, Anon, we diddehdo anythin'!"
>Oh God.
>You chomp down on your tongue so hard you almost yelp.
>Blueblood scowls and looks away.
>...No, that's it.
>This is a disaster.
>You look over to Dash. She has a red tinge to her cheeks.
>It's like she's embarrassed FOR you.
>You immediately fork some of your food and begin eating.
>You beam your stare right into it.
>Yup.
>That's food alright.
>Maybe if you pretend there's nothing here but you and it, Fluttershy will stop talking to you. Then you can all leave this trainwreck of a night behind you and start anew.
>"Hey Anon..."
>Hello Italian food.
>It was you talking, right?
>Had to be. There's no one else here.
>"Anon..."
>...
>You put down the fork.
>You can feel your heart about to burst from your chest.
>Every time you address Fluttershy, you can sense Blueblood's frustration begin to flare up.
>But she'll just keep fucking talking at you. And that's not helping either.
"...Yes, Fluttershy?"
>She giggles a little.
>"I have a quessun to ask, if that's alright with you..."
>You take a breath, and drum the table with your fingertips.
>Thinking things over.
>Blueblood hasn't touched his food in a long time.
"...What is it?"
>She leans in a little bit.
>"Iss another seecret."
>You glance over to your friend across from the table once more.
>Either choice seems like a bad one.
>Fuck...
>...You lean in too.
"...What is it?"
>She giggles again. Each sound she makes ramps up this awkward tension between you and Blueblood.
>"...[spoiler]Whass your hot monkey dick like?"[/spoiler]
"Check please."

>Fluttershy was even more wasted than you had thought.
>You all leave the restaurant. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walk ahead. The yellow pegasus is practically falling over with every step, and Dash needs to keep her balanced as she walks to ensure she doesn't hurt herself.
>You and Blueblood awkwardly walk together behind them.
>You can hear the slurring of Fluttershy ahead of you as her and Dash have a soft conversation. It's the only sound other than foot and hoofsteps as you walk with Blueblood.
>This awkward tension is seriously killer.
>You want to glance over to your buddy, but you're afraid to make eye contact.
>You want to say something, but you're afraid of how he'll react.
>But you don't NOT want to say something, since this atmosphere is already so goddamn suffocating.
>Yeesh...
>You all keep walking for a few more minutes, until you reach the main square of P0nyville.
>"Hey Anon, Prince Blueblood," Rainbow Dash calls.
>You both give her your attention.
>"I'm... going to walk Fluttershy home, alright? I don't trust her getting there herself."
>You want to interject. Maybe Blueblood could walk her home.
>The phrase is right at your lungs, ready to come out.
>...But, you don't say it.
>Nah, man, you've fucked up enough today.
>It's clear Fluttershy doesn't want much to do with him right now.
"...Yeah, alright Dash. Thanks for coming, see you guys later."
>She and Fluttershy say their farewells and head their own way.
>You purposefully avoided looking at the inebriated pegasus, hoping not to stir up a response from her or see her do anything particularly lewd.
>Not that she WOULD, but... shit, she had some awkward questions tonight.
>On second thought, you wouldn't put it past her.
>You and Blueblood continue walking toward your house.
>...Eventually, you're going to get there, Anon.
>And you'll have to say something.
>Better to get it over with early...
>You mentally sigh.
"...So, uh... have a good time, man?"
>Oh wow, real good choice there.
>Blueblood doesn't say anything.
>For the first time this walk, you look at his expression.
>It's... hard to place.
>Angry? Aggressive? Disappointed?
"Blueblood?"
>"I don't want to talk, Anonymous."
>You can feel the poison behind those words.
>They definitely hurt.
"Hey, why the--"
>"That was humiliating. Why would you put me through that?"
" I didn't know that--"
>"Fluttershy was ALL over you. She wanted nothing to do with me. Why did you not tell me?"
>You give him a look.
"Tell you what? I had no idea she would start acting that way."
>Blueblood scoffs. "Anonymous, I know you're not oblivious. You're not stupid. You've lived around this mare for a time now. You COULDN'T have not known."
>You raise your eyebrow at him.
>"You could have just told me you were pursuing her. That's fine. It would have hurt, but it would have been better than this."
"Blueblood, listen to yourself."
>"I know what I'm saying just fine, Anonymous. You're a nice guy. At heart. You just wanted to humor me. Make it look like I had a chance. That you were helping me out. That way, when it was clear she wasn't interested in me, I would give up, and you wouldn't have to tell me your intentions, right?"
"Buddy--"
>"But the alcohol went to her head, and she spilled the beans. Let everyp0ny know about your relationship. I'm not stupid, Anonymous, I can put the pieces together."
>You finally end up approaching your house.
"Look Blueblood, you're upset. You KNOW me, I'm not even attracted to p0nies!
>He furls his brows and looks away.
"Stop making up stories. I'm sorry this happened, but it's not my fault! I didn't know! I was just trying to help!
>You both approach your door.
>"Thank you for a splendid evening," he says sarcastically, "have a wonderful night, friend. Enjoy your time with your marefriend."
>And with that, he begins walking off.
"Blueblood!"
>He doesn't stop.
>You groan.
>Going after him crosses your mind, but he's a stubborn one.
>He's upset, and set in his ways.
>Talking with him further about it now won't solve anything.
>Better to let him cool off for a bit. Day or so. See how it goes then.
>Maybe you'll send him a letter tomorrow.
>You bite your tongue.
>The thought of him mistakenly believing you're after Fluttershy really sits with you the wrong way.
>You sigh, then open the door to your house, letting yourself in.
>It s a problem, sure. But it'll be solved later.
>For now, just indulge in that classic Anonymous-style conflict resolution of not-giving-a-shit. Give a shit later.
> Now, you rest a little.

>Your hoofsteps angrily clop throughout the town of P0nyville.
>You can practically see steam coming out of your nostrils.
>The more you've been thinking about it, the angrier it's been making you.
>Anonymous...
>How could he do this?
>Take the mare he KNEW you wanted.
>The one that captivated you with her beauty.
>He made you sit next to her at that dinner table...
>The AURA of her was just unbearable.
>She wanted absolutely nothing to do with you.
>And he knew it the whole time.
>So utterly humiliating.
>But he WANTED you to feel it. All because he couldn't tell you the truth to your face.
>You huff.
>You just want to scream out as loud as you can.
>Just void your being of this bottled up frustration!
>...But that would be so very undignified.
>And so very rude to the p0nies sleeping.
>You're not like that anymore... you're not that thoughtless. You're not the same terrible p0ny you were before.
>...
>Or... are you?
>A bench crosses your field of vision.
>...You were going to call for your chariot, but...
>Maybe a little sitting-and-thinking will help.
>You indulge in just that, and ponder.
>You're not that same p0ny anymore...
>But just now... the way you've acted.
>To your best friend, Anonymous.
>...It can't be.
>It all adds up. The pieces fit together. He HAD to have known about her feelings.
>He HAD to have set up this date knowing so.
>That logic seems so sound.
>So truthful.
>So...
>Do you believe the tale of this logic, or the tale of your friend?
>One who has been there for you thick-and-thin?
>The one who showed you the error of your ways those many months ago?
>It sure seems so Old Blueblood. To shove aside someone's side of the story for your own reasonings.
>You didn't even give him a chance to explain.
>A cool breeze blows past you, and the wind whistles ever so slightly.
>The leaves of the trees around you rustle rhythmically.
>...You've been a terrible friend, Blueblood.
>How could you have done that to your best friend?
>Friendship is more than what appears to be.
>You grit your teeth, then stand back up to your hooves.
>No... you're going to set this right.
>You're going right back to Anonymous's house and apologizing.
>How long has it been since you left his house? You haven't been keeping track.
>You were lost in your thoughts. Would he still be up?
>...He can be awoken for this cause.
>You feel sheer determination rest in your chest, and you immediately begin walking the way you came.
>This is settled tonight.

>You splash water from the tap on your face after a good teeth-brushing.
>You stare at yourself in the mirror for a second, then wipe your face with a towel.
>God... what a night.
>You just want to sleep it all off.
>Your bathroom door closes softly as you head back out into the hallway.
>A yawn escapes your mouth, and you rub under your chin, feeling the peach-fuzz that needs to be shaved tomorrow morning.
>There's your room...
>You enter, tossing your things onto your nightstand and changing into sweatpants and a comfy nighttime shirt.
>At least a good rest will pump you up for whatever may need doing tomorrow.
>You grip your cool sheets and get ready to slide under, when--
>There's a loud knock at the door.
>You stop what you're doing immediately, glancing out of your room.
>...Who could be here this late?
>You drop your sheets back down, then step out of your room and down the stairs.
>As you quickly descend, the knocker bangs on the door again.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."
>You approach the door, grip the handle, and pull it open, revealing--
"Fluttershy?"
>A wobbly, unbalanced yellow pegasus greets you.
>She's got some dirt on her and a few minor scrapes.
>"Fluttershy, what are you doing here? And... how many times did you fall walking over?"
>She smiles, them squeezes past you and into your house.
"Alright, yeah, sure. Come on in, I guess."
>You close the door behind you and watch her stumble into your living room.
>You don't like this.
>Not drunk Fluttershy.
>Not at your house alone at night.
"Fluttershy, I was about to go to bed. What do you want?"
>She scurries up onto your couch and eyes you from across the room.
"Oh come on, don't get the couch... dirty..."
>You kind of trail off.
>You've dealt with plenty of drunk people in your time.
>This won't be easy.
>"Come over here, Anon..."
>You scrunch your face a bit.
"Fluttershy... please."
>You begin walking over.
"You need to leave. Go get some rest."
>Thoughts of her drunkenly walking back home, alone and at night, cross your mind.
>You sigh.
"I could even walk you home. Come on. Let's go."
>She shakes her head.
>"Ah ah aah..." You arrive at the side of the couch. "Not until I get what I want..."
>What she wants?
>Oh no.
"Fluttershy--"
>Quicker than you can react, Fluttershy pounces upon you, aiming to plant a kiss right on your lips.
>Of course, she's wasted, so she misses completely and slobbers up your shoulder instead.
>You lurch back with a mare wrapped around your torso.
"Hey! Fluttershy, stop!"
>You try to pry her off, but she's got a strong grip.
>"Nooo!" she says playfully.
>You don't want to hurt her, but she's really starting to piss you off.
>You grab under her front hooves and push with all of your strength, eventually prying her off of you.
>You hold her out in front of you and address her.
"Fluttershy, are you crazy?"
>She just giggles at you.
"Forcing yourself on me is NOT a good way to--"
>You're interrupted by another knock on the door.
>Your heart sinks.
>"Ooooh~" Fluttershy teases.
>Oh shit.
>It better not be--
>"Anonymous, it's me. Blueblood."
>Your blood freezes.
>"I need to talk to you. I can hear you in there, I'm glad you aren't asleep yet. May I come in?"
>You hear the doorknob turn.
>In a panic, you forcefully toss Fluttershy down the hall, out of sight from the door.
>You cough loudly to drown out the sound of her thump, and throw on a smile to greet your guest, Prince Blueblood.
>He humbly walks in and sees your smile, and returns it.
>"I... I hope it's alright that I came back tonight, friend..."
>Your heart begins to beat out of its chest.
"Yeah man it's cool no problem. Was just about to head to bed though sooo--"
>He laughs. "Ahh, I apologize. I'll make this quick then."
>He looks to the floor briefly.
>"Tonight I... I forgot what it meant to have a friend. Things looked bleak, and I... I took it out on you. I didn't get your side of the story, and assumed the worst... and for that, I want to say, that I'm--"
>He cuts himself off.
>Ice runs through your veins, as you know exactly why.
>You glance to your side, and see Fluttershy stumble out from the hall.
>"Ohh, Anon..." she says wearily. "You don't need to be so rough..."
>Your face is as stiff as a stone.
>But you shift your eyes from her to Blueblood.
>He has a look of shock on his face.
>It's silent for a few seconds, but it feels like years.
>Finally--
"...Look, Blueblood, I can explain this."
>In an instant, his face contorts to pure rage.
>He furls his brows and grits his teeth visibly, then stomps out of your house with a slam of the door.
>You instantly run after him.
"Wait!"
>You call, bursting from your house.
"I swear, this is cliché as fuck, but it's not what it looks like!"
>He doesn't acknowledge you, stomping away from your house.
>You pursue him.
"Blueblood, I swear!"
>As you get right behind him, he turns around.
>"How DARE you!" he explodes.
>It's enough to make you wince as you screech to a halt.
>"It's ONE thing to try and humor me, but to do this behind my back!? To LIE right to my FACE!?"
>You can see him fuming.
>You try to get a word in, but he doesn't let you.
>"I NEVER thought you were capable of this, you SWINE!"
"Blueblood!"
>"If you wanted to be rivals for this mare's affection, that would be one thing! STUPID, but one thing! You didn't even let me have a CHANCE!"
"I didn't--!"
>"You LIED right to me! Is THIS what humans are like!?"
>He's hyperventilating.
>"'Not attracted to mares?' No? You are a SNAKE! A lying, slithering, deceitful SNAKE! I can't believe I called you my friend!"
>You can see lights in houses begin to turn on.
>"And to THINK I was going to apologize to you!"
>Every angry breath he exhales is accompanied by a growl.
"Blueblood, calm down I swear--!"
>"DON'T address me like that, you ANIMAL!"
>Your heart pangs.
>Those words pierce you hard.
>"I am ROYALTY! If you DARE address me, you will address me as such!"
>You are stunned.
>Your mouth gapes slightly, and a horrible, terrible sorrow begins to seep from your heart to the rest of your body.
>"If we were friends once, we're enemies now. Do NOT follow me. I shall NOT see you in Canterlot anytime soon!"
>And with that, she stomps off in a fury.
>Down the road, and out of sight.
>You don't move.
>You're still absolutely stunned.
>P0nies begin looking out of their windows at the scene that just unfolded.
>Your breaths are short and shaky.
>You're still trying to take in everything that just happened.
>It's... so hard. So... unbelievable.
>"Anon..." you hear from behind you.
>Fluttershy has stumbled her way over to you from you home.
>You don't respond.
>"Anooon~" she calls again.
>You finally close your mouth, and take a big breath through your nose.
>You look to the ground.
"...Go home, Fluttershy."
>You can feel your eyes begin to water.
>"But Anon, we need to--"
"I said go home, Fluttershy. Now."
>There's a pause.
>You have no idea what she's doing. Or thinking. Or anything.
>None of it seems important.
>You just stare at the ground.
>Finally, she speaks up. "Alright... but I'll be back tomorrow morning..."
>You don't respond.
>But soon, you can hear her sporadic hoofsteps begin to sound off.
>Farther and farther away.
>You still don't move.
>You're not sure what to do.
>Or what to feel.
>...This night was more of a disaster than you could ever have foreseen.

End of Part 5