//------------------------------// // 12 Permission* // Story: Alternate Beginnings: Year One // by Doug Graves //------------------------------// Rainbow spots Doug near the spare cart taking measurements, going back and forth between a small pile of papers he has spread out and weighed down. “Hey Doug!” she calls, landing close to him but far enough from the papers that her wake won’t jostle them too much. He turns, greeting her with a wave, before gathering the loose papers he is working on and placing a rock on top. “Howdy Rainbow, didn’t expect to see you back here so quickly. Things all right?” Rainbow slowly saunters up to him, “Better than all right, stud.” Doug raises an eyebrow at that. Normally, Rainbow doesn’t express any sort of affection for him, saying that while she does find him somewhat attractive, if in an exotic way, she has other priorities and doesn’t have the time to pursue anything. He knows she spends an abnormal amount of time training for the Wonderbolts while working her way up the weather patrol. Either activity would consume most of a mare’s day, and Rainbow is working hard towards both. He replies, “So then, what’s the occasion? Also, you can cut the goo-goo eyes, they’re cute but so not you.” Rainbow’s failed attempt at a sultry expression is quickly replaced by a frown, then a glare as she shakes her mane back and forth. “Hey, I can totally do a sexy look.” Doug gives her a sad smile, messing with her mane as she walks next to him. “Okay, yes, that was dead sexy. Mrow.” Rainbow’s glare fails to soften at that comment, and she pushes him onto his back. “Quiet you. Now, me and Applejack got to talking, something about how you helped her out with her heat?” Doug’s hands move to Rainbow’s barrel as she continues pushing him down. “Well, I assume you mean we had sex, which isn’t exactly a secret. Did,” he trails off, looking over Rainbow’s body, “Is that why you seemed more out of it lately?” Rainbow snorts, “Ya, this heat has been brutal. I can barely think straight, being around any stallions keeps triggering my tail, and I almost crashed twice cleaning up the fog this morning. I can’t take the pills, what with the training I need to keep up plus doing my job.” Doug’s eyebrows furrow, “So, you want me to help with a cooler? Thought you mostly got other mares to help with that…" At seeing her wide grin Doug loudly sighs, "Oh, very funny Rainbow. I’m busy here, though it was a good one, nearly had me going.” Rainbow shakes her head, “No, dude, it’s… ah, coolers wear off too quickly. But, I was hoping you could do for me what you did for Applejack.” Doug gives Rainbow a blank stare, before raising an eyebrow and looking at her quizzically, “I can only assume you already talked to Applejack about it, and you are talking about sex, right?” Rainbow stops pushing Doug down, sitting back slightly. “Yup. Applejack seemed okay with it if you were, she knows how we are. I’m more worried about this ruining our friendship than she is.“ Doug slowly strokes Rainbow's side, “This seems like a pretty big step though. Don’t you kind of equate sex with love and the desire to be together?” “Ya, it’s nothing like that! At least, not during heat season anyway, you'd just be a friend helping out another friend with her problem. As long as you don’t get pregnant. You can’t get us pregnant, right? You aren’t, like, a pony or anything?” Doug shakes his head slowly, “Well, it shouldn’t work with me and a pony back home. We would need some sort of love Princess to really make that determination.” “Ya, fat chance we could get her to come down here. So, you ready for this?” “Uh-” Doug and Rainbow pause as the sounds of galloping get closer. Rarity crests the nearby hill, galloping closer and looking frantically between Doug and Rainbow. “Oh, I’m not too late, am I? You’ve already done the deed, and now I’m going to be stuck waiting until tomorrow! Oh, what shall I do?” Rarity plops onto the nearby cart, holding a hoof to her forehead and looking forlornly up at the sky. Doug sits up, pushing Rainbow into a seated position next to him. “No, Rarity, we haven’t done anything yet. Haven’t even agreed to what anything is, either.” “Oh, well, in that case, Rainbow, I know how important this is for you, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. If things go well with Donny later today, we might go to Canterlot and display my works to Sassy Saddles, Pursy Pink, maybe even Hoity Toity!” Rarity swoons at the thought, though Doug and Rainbow’s blank looks bring her back quickly. “Ugh, at least try to pretend to be impressed. Well then. Doug, if I may be so bold?” Rarity walks up to Doug, leaning over Rainbow and placing a kiss on his lips before turning around and flicking her tail to the side. Rainbow shouts, “Hey, no fair! I was totally here first, I’ve been dealing with this longer than you, and he was totally persuaded by me!” Rainbow gets up and swats Rarity’s tail back in place with her wing. Rarity turns around, an enraged look on her face. “My tail! Oh, that is it!” Rarity telekinetically lifts a clump of dirt while Rainbow paws the ground, getting ready to charge. Doug moves between them, putting his hand on Rainbow’s head and waving his arm at Rarity. “Now hold on you two. Before you do something you’ll regret, what seems to be the issue?” Rarity drops the dirt she would have pelted Rainbow with before answering, “Why, who will be able to, ahem, use you today and who will need to wait until later once you have, well, recharged.” “Ya, and it’s going to be me who gets him today!” Rainbow exclaims, giving Rarity a dirty look from behind Doug. Doug shakes his head at their antics, saying, “Ladies, ladies… I take it Applejack hasn’t talked much about me?” Rainbow pipes up, “I don’t know what she has told Rarity, but she never told me about multiple times. More like you ask her once every couple days, we thought that was how long it takes you to, you know, get ready again.” “No, I only ask because I don’t think she… ugh, anyway, humans only need an hour or so, maybe less, before we are ready to go again. So…” At this, both mares pounce on him, a nodding smile being traded between then. “All right then, stud,” Rainbow starts, and Rarity continues with a smirk, “I’ll get the first one, then Rainbow can have you all to herself. Now, if you will be so kind as to follow us to the barn over there…” Doug looks between the two mares; he slowly gets up, muttering about bringing this on himself, though he doesn’t look all that disappointed. Rainbow pulls him aside before they get to the barn, her reddened eyes looking at him with determination. She puts a hoof on his leg and says in a low voice, “Look. I don’t want this to change anything between us, alright? Just, be quick, do your thing, and then it’s back to normal. No kissing, no mushy stuff, in and out. Okay?” Doug sighs, “Alright Rainbow, I can do that.” Rarity moves next to him, pushing her body against his side. “You can get all that romance out of your system on me, I’ve been looking forward to this for two days now.” She eyes him hungrily as the three make their way inside the barn.