//------------------------------// // 10. - It's Nice To Finally Meet You // Story: Who Is Pinkie Pie? // by Irrespective //------------------------------// ←Chapter 10-A: The Bad Ending→   * * Ω * * “That was quite the exquisite meal, wasn’t it?” Long Run patted his tummy and dabbed at the corners of his mouth with his napkin. “Gustav never fails to impress.” “Nope, he sure doesn’t,” Twilight Sparkle agreed in a distant tone, her gaze firmly on the mostly untouched meal in front of her. “Is there something else I can get for you?” Twilight shook her head, sighed, and then sat up straight. “Okay. You’ve been more than patient, and it’s not fair to keep you waiting any longer. I appreciate your patience, even though you must want to scream at me for not telling you what we decided.” He did, but he wasn’t about to, nor was he going to admit it. “I would like to know, obviously, but there’s no pressure on my part. When you’re ready.” “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready, so here it goes.” Twilight hesitated and closed her eyes. “Long Run, we talked it over, and the four of us decided that none of us should date you.” It was like all the air had suddenly been sucked out of the restaurant, and Long slumped in his seat. “Really? None of you?” “I’m sorry, I really am.” Twilight put a hoof on his and gave him a sympathetic smile. “But after everything that’s happened, we all agreed that it would just be too awkward and too weird if any of us tried to have a relationship with you. You understand that, right?” Long nodded, though his lips suddenly felt dry. “I suppose I do.” “Hey, we all still want to be your friend, though.” Twilight offered in an obvious attempt to cheer him up. “Rainbow wanted me to tell you she’s still planning on that trip to Mount Ares, and Fluttershy wants to come over and let you get those photographs you wanted of her flying.” “Oh, sweet Luna.” Long groaned and dropped his face into his hooves. “I thought that was Pinkie! That must have sounded so creepy.” “She said you’d say that, so she says that it wasn’t, and that she insists,” Twilight went on. “Pinkie also wanted me to say you’re welcome to come by Sugarcube Corner whenever you like, and she’ll take care of you just like she would any other customer. She also wants to formally introduce herself to you still, but she agreed that now wasn’t really the best time for that.” Long glanced up to Twilight. “And what about us?” “Well, I’d still like to have our study sessions, but maybe we’ll do them in a public place, so nopony gets the wrong idea. But you don’t have to if you don’t want to, Long.” “No, it’s okay.” Long sat up and took a moment to regain his composure. “I knew this was a possibility, but I had hoped that…” “Hoped what?” Twilight asked after a few moments. “Nothing.” Long shook his head and offered a weak, lopsided grin. “Twilight, I would be honored to be your friend, and to be friends with all of your friends. I appreciate your honesty with me, and I’m sorry for the undue stress that I caused. Friends?” Twilight’s grin matched his, but she bumped hooves with him and nodded. “Friends.” * * Ω * * ← Chapter 10-B: The One with Pinkie Pie →   * * Ω * * “So, you’re sure that your friends are okay with this?” Long Run asked. “Well, to be completely honest, no,” Pinkie Pie said with a grin that could give a grimace a run for its money. “Rainbow Dash still wants you, so I’m super-duper extra sure she’s gonna do something to snatch you away, and Fluttershy says she’s okay with me dating you, but she said it with this really kinda creepy distant look in her eye, like she was hoping it would still be her somehow, and my fetlock is all tingly, my ears are droopy, and my mane is bouncy, so you know what that means.” “Um…” Long waited for Pinkie to sit before pushing her chair up to the table. “Actually, I don’t know what that means,” he continued while sitting himself. “Oh! Right.” Pinkie giggled. “It’s my Pinkie sense. When my fetlock tingles, and my ears droop, and my mane bounces, that means that there’s other ponies who want to date the pony I’m on a date with.” “Ah. Does this happen a lot?” “No, just three other times.” “I see. Well, I suppose we ought to start at the beginning then. If your Pinkie sense is right, you should at least have a fair shot at me, so we need to get you caught up and level the playing field.” Long sat up as straight as he could, smiled, and offered a hoof. “Hello, I don’t believe we’ve met before. My name is Long Run. Who might you be?” Pinkie giggled. “I’m Pinkie Pie! It’s super nice to meet you, Mister Long Run.” “Likewise.” Long motioned to the menus in front of them. “Feel free to order whatever you’d like. It’s on me, since this is our official first date and all.” “Can I ask you something, Long?” Pinkie asked, and he nodded. “Are you upset with me at all? Y’know, since I had Fluttershy disguise herself as me and date you in an attempt to have a vicarious relationship?” “No. Confused would be closer, but my ego sure enjoyed hearing that you had an instant crush on me.” Pinkie Pie blushed. “It started out with that, but after I didn’t talk to you at the ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party, I felt horribly awful about not saying ‘hi.’ So, since I felt so guilty, I avoided you, which made me feel even more guilty, so I started farewell and welcome home cupcakes for you --” “Those were from you?” Long interrupted, and Pinkie nodded. “Huh. I thought Rainbow Dash was getting those for me.” “Nope, all me. I felt a teeny tiny bit better when I’d make them for you, but after a while, I’d feel all yucky again. When Rainbow Dash tried to throw that surprise party to introduce us and prove you wrong, I had to do something to avoid you, so I grabbed Fluttershy and asked her to be me. I was hoping that, by having her as me date you, I would feel better, and eventually I could swap and talk to you for real without you ever knowing it.”   “That… is not a bad plan, actually.” Long rubbed his chin in thought. “I probably wouldn’t have realized it, either. Until the whole zipper thing, that is.” Pinkie Pie nodded. “I knew the jig was up when you saw that little bit of Fluttershy under the costume, but I still couldn’t bring myself to talk to you about it. I really, really should have listened to Fluttershy. She told me right from the beginning to introduce myself, and that you’d understand.” “I think I would have, but what’s done is done. No hard feelings, Pinkie. In fact, this is gonna be a funny story to tell later, won’t it?” “Yeah,” Pinkie said with a snort of amusement. “It sure will be.” * * Ω * * ← Chapter 10-C: The One with Twilight Sparkle → * * Ω * * “Does this feel awkward to you?” Twilight Sparkle gave Long Run a sheepish grin as they walked towards Gustav’s restaurant. “I can’t help but think it is. You have four mares who wanted you, after all, and here you are, going on a date with me.” “Hey, I’m flattered, to be honest,” Long Run replied. “My ego is absolutely loving this. Four mares are vying for my affections? Yes, please!” Twilight laughed with Long, but then he went on. “But, in all seriousness, I maybe feel just a bit awkward, but only because I’m still concerned about how this affects your relationship with your friends.” “It was an interesting conversation,” Twilight said. “Pinkie still wants to meet you formally, of course, but after talking it over, she realized that she’s over the crush she had on you now. Fluttershy is still interested in you, but she’s being her usual kind self and giving me a chance to get to know you better. Rainbow is…” “That’s what I was afraid of,” Long said. “I had no idea she was interested in me like that.” “She didn’t either,” Twilight said with a thoughtful frown. “She says she’s over you, that she knows she had her chance already and she blew it, but I don’t believe her. I think she’s always going to have a little spot that pines for you in her heart, even though she’s stated that she won’t pursue you.” “The one who got away,” Long said with a small sigh. “I admit, if I’d known that she felt that way about us, I probably would have reciprocated. But meeting Pinkie—er, Fluttershy set my heart off in another direction, and while I can still be her friend, I just don’t think I’ll ever be able to see her as anything other than that now.” “What about Fluttershy?” Twilight Sparkle asked. “You spent a lot of time with her and got to know her pretty well. Aren’t you still attracted to her?” “Oh, sure. I won’t lie, Fluttershy is really cute and attractive,” Long replied with a shrug. “But as I’ve thought about everything that’s happened, I’ve realized that there’s something altogether different about you.” “Gee, that couldn’t be the alicorn princess thing, could it?” Twilight dryly remarked with a waggle of her wings. “I had that thought too, but that’s not it,” Long instantly replied. “Honestly, I get the feeling that there’s… I dunno. This might be a bit trite and lame, but I feel a certain spark when I’m with you. I feel so at ease when you’re around, so warm when we talk and when you fly. I enjoy how we seem to intrinsically know what the other is thinking. I…”  Long stalled, then let out an embarrassed laugh. “Would you listen to me? I sound like some hormonal teenager who’s trying to impress a girl with every overused cliché in the books.” “Maybe just a little,” Twilight agreed with a grin. “But it’s kinda cute, too.”   “Better than hopeless,” he quipped with a roll of his eyes. “Let me try this, then. Twilight Sparkle, when I’m with you, I feel like I can be completely open. I don’t feel any hesitation to share with you my thoughts, my feelings, or my desires. You may be an alicorn, but quite honestly, when I look at you I don’t see that. I see a mare who is witty, intelligent, expressive, and elegant in ways that I’d never thought before. I’ve loved what I’ve had with you so far, and I’d love to see if there can be more.” Twilight stopped walking with those words, and she turned to face him head on. Her cheeks were a bright red, and a dopey grin was on her face, so he must have said something right. “That’s still pretty corny, but you’re getting better,” she said. “Good thing I have the best teacher in Equestria to help me with my elocution,” he replied with his own matching grin. “And, hopefully, with much more beyond that.” The Princess of Friendship blushed deeper and playfully bit her bottom lip. “That might be true, Long Run, but I was a student long before I was ever a teacher. I certainly hope there’s some things you can teach me, too.” “I would be honored.” Long leaned in, and his heart ran wild in his chest when her eyes closed and her lips puckered. “And maybe,” he whispered as he brushed her lips with his, “we can learn a few things together.” “I can hardly wait,” Twilight whispered back as their lips locked and their passions blazed to life.  * * Ω * * ← Chapter 10-D: The One with Fluttershy →   * * Ω * * “I am so sorry about tricking you, Long Run,” Fluttershy said with a wince as she walked towards Gustav’s restaurant with Long. “I really, really didn’t mean for things to get so out of control.” “That’s five now,” Long replied with a grin. “Five what?” “Apologies.” “Sorry,” Fluttershy offered.  “Six.” Long’s grin turned into a good-natured smile, and he put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “And you don’t need to apologize for anything in the first place. You were trying to help a friend. I can’t think of a good reason why I should be upset about that. It just goes to show how truly kind you are.” Fluttershy’s gaze went to the ground, but she giggled a little and let a warm smile out. “Thank you, Long.” “I do have to admit that I thought you’d change out of the costume,” Long went on with a bob of his eyebrows. “Seeing your head on Pinkie’s body is quite the interesting contrast.” Fluttershy glanced back and over her pink body and poofy tail, and the same color touched her cheeks. “I’ve been wearing it so much that I’m used to it now. I didn’t even think about it while we were discussing you with the other girls.” “You certainly don’t have to keep wearing it,” Long offered. “I like you just the way you are.” “I think I’ll step into the restroom and take it off when we get to the restaurant. You still need to get that film of me flying, after all, and I certainly can’t do that with my wings trapped in this suit.” Long stopped dead in his tracks. A horrified expression came to his features, but half a second later, he promptly sat and dropped his face into his hooves. “Sweet Sisters in Canterlot above, that was you! That must have sounded so incredibly creepy and weird!” “Actually, I was flattered,” Fluttershy said with a cheerful titter. “Nopony has complimented me on my wing positions and movements before. That’s one reason why I started asking you about flying. Do you… do you still think I could be a Wonderbolt?” “Y’know, I really should have realized that something was up when you casually mentioned the central thaumic vein.” Long shook his head in disappointment with himself. “But yes, I still think you could be a Wonderbolt, if that’s what you really wanted. However—and forgive me if this sounds a little insensitive—I don’t think you ever will be a Wonderbolt. Your heart would never fully be into it.” Fluttershy nodded. “I’m amazed by their acrobatics and skill, but you’re right. I’m happy here, with my pony and my animal friends.” Her gaze went to a spot of grass to her left for a moment, then flitted back to him. “And with you,” she softly added.  A tingle of delight ran up Long’s spine as his wing effortlessly slid over Fluttershy and pulled her into his side. “Me too. I don’t feel so lonely when you’re around.” “You’ve felt lonely?” she asked as they began to walk again.  “I didn’t really realize it before I started dating you-as-Pinkie,” he said, his tone thoughtful. “Or, maybe I did, but I could ignore it because of my schedule. I’ve had time to think during my vacation, and I’ve realized that I don’t like waking up alone in some strange hotel room, with nothing but stale coffee and fast food wrappers to keep me company. Even when I’m home, I’ve had this longing for a mare to be beside me, and…” Long trailed off again and groaned. “And I sound like some super creepy stalker again.” “I think I understand what you mean,” Fluttershy offered. “Even though you meet lots of new ponies and see lots of neat places, you’ve never really had friends before now, and especially a marefriend.” “I’m glad you get what I’m trying to say, instead of the mess that I’m actually saying,” said Long. “But, you know what? Last night, when we both fell asleep together on my couch, I didn’t feel that loneliness anymore. It felt… right, somehow.” Long paused, and a concerned look came. “Wait. That wasn’t you last night, was it?” “That was really me,” Fluttershy said. “When Pinkie left with Rainbow Dash, I realized that I could spend some time with you without the costume. I really enjoyed spending the day with you, too. Even with the broken water pipe,” she finished with a playful smile. “But what about the zipper?” “What zipper?” “This morning, when I woke up, I felt a zipper on your chest,” he said. “So I thought that you were one of your friends.” “Oh, that.” Fluttershy’s hoof reached up and touched the zipper on the costume she was presently wearing. “That wasn’t actually a zipper. That was a piece of your water pipe. I had a lot of them all over in my coat and feathers. I still have it at my house, if you want it back.” “That was a huge chunk, then.” Long snorted in amusement. “So, was anypony else wearing a costume at any point, or was that just you?” “It was just me,” Fluttershy said with a bit of shame as they rounded the last corner to the restaurant. “Pinkie was going to start dressing up as me, but you, um, ‘busted’ us before she could start.” “You both did an amazing job,” Long offered. “If I hadn’t gotten the drop on you two that one time, I bet I never would have figured it out. Tell you what. Let’s get something to eat, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to hear the whole story from your perspective. I’m curious for details now.” * * Ω * * “Pinkie Pie seriously stabbed you with a pin?” Long Run asked in shock, the bite of eggplant lasagna dropping off the end of his fork and hitting his plate with a splat. “She did.” Fluttershy giggled a little, her gaze on what remained of her broccoli for a moment as she recalled the details. “Pinkie wanted to have a relationship with you through me, and at that point, she wanted us to ‘move up to the next level,’ as she put it. She thought having you rescuing her from falling off the cloud would be romantic.” “Well, I admit that I rather enjoyed that moment,” he said with a wistful grin. “It was nice having you so close to me.” Fluttershy blushed furiously, but her eyes remained on him. “I liked it too, but she said afterwards that it wasn’t as romantic as she thought it would be.” “How did she even get up there?” “A balloon. She floated up to us by riding on the top of a really big one.” “That explains the hint of pink I saw just before you yelped.” Long scooped up his bite of lasagna again and stuffed it in his mouth as he thought. “Heh. And I thought Twilight had cast some sort of cloud-walking spell on you before I got up there.” “She did put one on me, since she thought I was Pinkie,” Fluttershy admitted. “I couldn’t really tell her not to.” Long leaned back in his chair, and he let out a pleased groan. “That’s it, I’m officially full. Do you want any dessert?” “Oh, no, thank you. I’m fine.” There was a brief lull, but Fluttershy’s cheeks went a deeper red as she noticed him looking her over. “What? Did I spill something on me?” “No, no. I’m just being a creepy stalker again,” Long said. “I was just thinking that it’s nice to actually talk to all of you, instead of a half-you, half-Pinkie.” “Rainbow Dash said that you were a stallion who liked a mare with curves. Does this mean I’m curvy enough for you?” Long recoiled a bit, laughed, then sat up straight. “Why, Miss Fluttershy! I’ve never heard you say anything like that before!” “But am I?” she pressed with a sly grin. “I think the costume added a few pounds to your frame, but yes, I’d say your curves are just right. As is the rest of you, I might add. That was kinda lame, wasn’t it?” “Maybe a teency weencie bit,” Fluttershy replied. “But I’ll take it as a compliment.” “Well, the night is still young, and I don’t really feel like going home yet. If you’re up for it, I do have an idea for something to do.” “Really? What?” * * Ω * * “Wow.” Long Run smiled, and his wing gently pulled his date into a soft hug. “I was hoping you’d like the view.” “It’s really pretty,” Fluttershy said, her head resting on her shoulder. “We see Canterlot all the time from Ponyville, so it’s easy to forget how beautiful it really is, especially in the moonlight.” “This is one of the main reasons why I became a flight instructor,” Long said with a slight wiggle to keep the cloud they were on from slipping away. “When we were in Junior Speedsters, I fell in love with the views from the higher altitudes, and it’s stayed with me ever since. You should see White Tail Woods in the fall, just before the Running of the Leaves. The patchwork of reds and oranges is really quite spectacular.” The pair slipped gently into a comfortable silence, and Long Run took that time to simply enjoy the warm, silken touch of Fluttershy’s coat against his own. A few stray thoughts passed through his mind, but they were quickly pushed down by the complete serenity he was reveling in as soon as they came.  If this what was in store for his future, then it was going to be amazing. “Long?” Fluttershy whispered. “Do you really think that… well, that we can be more than just friends?” “Why do you ask?” he replied in the softest and kindest tone he could possibly muster. “Oh, no reason. I was just thinking that you thought you were dating Pinkie Pie, so maybe that meant our relationship was all fake.” Long nodded slowly in understanding. “I see. Let me ask you a question before I answer. When you were dating me as Pinkie, how much of the time were you acting like her, and how often were you just being yourself?” Another long silence came, but Long didn’t say anything about it. Fluttershy needed a moment to think, and he didn’t want to force her musing. “I guess most of the time I was being me,” she finally said. “I maybe acted a little more, um, energetic than normal, but other than that…” she trailed off. “That’s why I think you and I can be more than friends,” he said. He paused to let her sit up, but the two shared matching smiles when their eyes locked. “You looked like Pinkie, but in all that time, I got to know you, the sweet, kind, and compassionate pegasus who obviously would do anything to help her friends. I love what I’ve learned about you so far, and I’m looking forward to learning much, much more.” The joy that radiated from the beautiful mare at his side could have illuminated Ponyville all by itself. “I am too. But there’s one thing I need to know, before we go any further.” “And what’s that?” he cooed as he leaned in. “How do you feel about animals?” she hummed as her lips came within a hair of his. “I had a pet goldfish when I was younger. He lived to the ripe old age of twelve, too.” “Then we'll start from there,” she whispered before moving in for the kiss and setting his entire world ablaze with delight.  * * Ω * * ← Chapter 10-E: The One with Rainbow Dash →   * * Ω * * “Thanks again for the meal, Long,” Twilight Sparkle said with a note of sadness in her voice.  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? This seems to have really affected you,” said Long as they exited the restaurant and were embraced by the cool evening air. “I will be. Just… just promise me we can still be friends? Even if we don’t get into a serious relationship, I’d still love to continue our flight lessons.” “I’d be honored, m’lady,” Long replied happily. “I would be a fool to throw away the friendship that has formed between us, and I still want to pick your brain on a few other matters, too. I wish my college professors could have explained things as clearly as you do.” Twilight giggled with that, which filled Long with a deep joy. “Anytime. I’m looking forward to it.” “Friends forever?” Long held out his hoof, and the Princess cheerfully bumped it. “Friends forever.” “May I walk you home?” “No, thanks. I appreciate the offer, but since it’s literally a stone’s throw away, I think I’ll manage.” “If you insist, then. Any ideas where I might find Rainbow?” Twilight shook her head. “I wish I did. Maybe she went back to her house?” “I’ll check there first. That seems to be the most likely place, doesn’t it?” “It does. When you do find her and explain everything, can you pass along that we’re sorry for the misunderstanding?” “I’ll be sure to explain the whole thing,” he said with a nod.  “Thanks. Rainbow is a lucky mare.” Twilight paused, offered a lopsided smile, and then leaned in to kiss Long Run’s cheek. “And you’re a lucky stallion, too. Good night.” “Good Night, Twilight,” he offered. He held the kiss to his cheek with a hoof as she walked away, and he was grateful that the Princess was still willing to be his friend, even though she had not been the one to ‘win’ the competition.  He did wish he’d realized there was such an interest in himself before now, however. It felt like he could have saved a lot of heartbreak if he had. Shaking himself from these thoughts, Long took to the air and made his way to his house. According to Twilight, Rainbow Dash had vehemently argued that she should be the one to date Long Run, even going so far as to shout down her friends when they tried to offer a counterpoint to her positions. Eventually, the verbal abuse became too much for Twilight, and after a shot of magic to mute Rainbow’s rantings, she had accused Dash of being needlessly selfish and cruel.  It was then that Rainbow Dash finally confessed her long-suppressed love for Long, but before the other three mares could talk to her about it, she had shot off into the night with tears streaking down her cheeks and with some vague threat about taking Long Run away from any pony who would stand between her and him. After getting over the shock of the statement and her threats, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle had talked at length over the matter and, eventually, they had agreed that Rainbow Dash really was the one who should have Long.  Twilight had then accepted the responsibility to inform Long, and she had been so worried about Rainbow that she’d hardly eaten a thing. Dinner had been a rather quiet affair, but with his promise to explain all, the Princess had noticeably perked up.  Long knew that Rainbow wasn’t serious about her threat, of course, and that she probably felt terrible about yelling at her friends already. She was just lashing out in frustration, as she tended to do when she felt like she was losing control over a situation. A bottle of chilled cider would help to calm her down, and then the two of them could discuss what had happened. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards as he thought of this. Once she figured out that her friends had stepped out of the way, she was going to feel even more horrible over her actions. There was a good chance that the two of them would be making some late night house calls for some lengthy apology sessions. His thoughts were interrupted when he glanced ahead and noticed that all of his house lights were on. He was sure he’d turned them off before he’d left, so who had broken in?  “Probably Rainbow,” he murmured with a small laugh. “She’s on the hunt for me, I bet.” But on the off chance that it wasn’t Rainbow, Long decided to peek in a side window before he entered. Even if it was her, it would be helpful if he could see what emotional state she was in before he walked blindly into a figurative rainbow-colored bear trap. With two quick flaps, he moved to the window, gazed inside, and then nearly froze in shock at what he was seeing. Somehow, his wings held him in the air, but his eyes were unable to move away from the open window. Yes, he had teased and tormented Rainbow Dash about that maid’s outfit, but he had never expected her to actually wear the ridiculous costume! But there she was, in all of her prismatic glory and draped in the tight embrace of the sexy servant’s attire.The black and white of the cloth made the colors of her mane and tail all the more vibrant, and the light makeup that she still wore brought out the passion in her magenta eyes, even though they were twisted into what looked like embarrassed anger as she gently dusted the lamp before her. Rarity had cut the skirt at a length that left a fabulous rear view for Long to admire, and his throat went dry as Rainbow tugged at the hem of the outfit with a grunt. She had actually done it. Rainbow Dash had willingly gotten herself into that maid’s outfit for him.  He was completely dumbfounded that she’d gone to such lengths in her pursuit of him, and he felt a twinge of guilt deep in his chest because of it. In all of that time, they both had been oblivious to the feelings that they had for one another, and now she was trying to get him back, to claim him for herself.  He grinned as a thought came to him, and he quickly moved to the window for his bedroom. “Dash?” Long called out from the upstairs loft. “Is that you down there?” “Don’t you dare say a word about this to anypony else,” Rainbow threatened, waving her feather duster towards the source of his voice like it was a sword. “I feel so stupid wearing this.” “So why are you?” “Because you like it,” she said in a soft, slow voice, and her stocking clad forehoof pawed at the ground she was staring at. “I know you and Pinkie have really hit it off together—or, I guess it was you and Fluttershy, but anyway, I just…” she stalled. “I’m probably just being dumb, but I can’t stand it when you’re with them. I lo… lo...” she snorted. “Gah! Forget it. I’m just going to go. You’ve already got your sights on Fluttershy, and—” Her words abruptly cut off when Long Run came into view and slowly descended the stairs. She snorted, and she put both forehooves on her mouth to stifle her laughter.  “What?” he asked.  “You big dummy,” she said, a tear of joy trickling down her cheek. “You actually went and stuffed yourself into one of my flight suits?” “Quid pro quo, my dear,” he snarked with a waggle of his eyebrows, and he struck a pose on the staircase. “Maid outfit for flight suit. Though it is just a wee bit tight in places.” “So I see,” Rainbow said as Long finished descending the stairs and walked over to her. “But you look better in it than I do.”  “Well, that’s a factual lie,” he said, and he gently took the feather duster away from her. “Rainbow Dash, you are amazing. It doesn’t matter if you’re dressing in style, or if you’re performing a sonic rainboom, or even if you’re just talking to your friends. I’ve been blind to the awesomeness that has been right in front of me this whole time, but now I see the multihued light. You’ve been my best friend for years, and I’m sorry that it took me this long—and that it took a Pinkie Pie—to get me to realize what and who is important in my life. “Rainbow Dash, please forgive me,” he went on in a soft and pleading tone. “I don’t want to lose you, or what we have. I’m willing to do anything to keep you, but if you don’t want me anymore, I’ll understand. I am a rather thick-headed clod a vast majority of the time.” Rainbow Dash hesitated for just a brief moment, but then her hoof reached up and traced a line from Long Run’s cheek down to his neck. “I think we’re doing this backwards. I’m the one who made your life miserable, and all because I was jealous. If anything, I need you to forgive me.” “You don’t need to be forgiven,” he whispered into her ear, and her breath shuddered in delight. “You need to be loved. Is there any chance that you would let me be the one to love you?” “I think it’s too late for that,” she said, her lips gently brushing his.  “LONG RUN!” Pinkie Pie exploded through his front door, and she skidded to a stop just as Rainbow finished tumbling over the couch behind her. “We need to go find Rainbow Dash! She loves you, and you love her, and I can’t keep true love apart any longer! This is a cruel injustice to the world, and I can’t take it anymore! Just think of what Princess Cadence would say if she found out what I’ve done to you two!”  “Pinkie, she’s right here,” Long dryly said.  “Oh, hey Dashie!” Pinkie said, but then she tilted her head. “Why are you dressed up like a maid? And why is Long wearing your…” she suddenly stopped, and a huge grin overtook her face. “OooOOoh! I see what’s happening here!” “Yeah, and you just kinda killed the mood,” Rainbow grumbled.  “Oh, just pretend like I’m not here!” Pinkie waved a dismissive hoof and retreated a few steps. “Go back to what you were doing.” “I dunno, Pinkie,” Long said. “Rainbow Dash doesn’t like public displays of affection.” “Shut up and kiss me,” Rainbow ordered, and she took his cheeks in her hooves. “The sooner we do this, the sooner she’ll leave.” Pinkie Pie squealed in delight as Rainbow Dash and Long Run locked lips. “Best! Day! EVER!” * * Ω * * ← Chapter 10-F: The One with Everyone →   * * Ω * * “So, what did the four of you decide?” Long Run had tried to be patient, but he was absolutely dying to know what the future was to hold for him. “Sorry, but I can’t say,” Twilight Sparkle said with an ill-hidden grin. “I promise I’ll explain everything once we get to Gustav’s, but I can’t tell you anything before that.” “You are killing me, Princess,” Long said. “You know that?” “It’ll be worth it. Trust me.” “It’s you, isn’t it?” he flatly said. “Just admit it. The four of you talked it over, and it was decided that you should be the one.” “Can’t say.” Long let out a groan. “Augh! You should be the Princess of Torture, you know that?” “Maybe,” Twilight said with a light giggle. “Here we are!” Long let out a grunt of relief as they rounded the last corner, but his frustration switched to confusion as they walked to the front door. “Fluttershy? Rainbow? Pinkie? What are all of you doing here?” The three of them all had the same devious smirk, and Long didn’t like it one bit. “Why wouldn’t we be here?” Rainbow offered. “This was a decision that all four of us made together, after all.” “Yeah? Then why do I suddenly feel like there’s four sharks in the water—” he swallowed hard “—and that I’m the chum?” “Do you want to hear our decision or not?” Rainbow huffed. “Yes,” he slowly drawled while his head screamed at him to say no.  The mares glanced between each other, nodded, and then slowly moved to encircle him. “It wasn’t easy to decide,” Rainbow said. “Each of us have a good reason to date you.” “And we all agreed that, no matter what, somepony’s feelings would be hurt,” Fluttershy added. “And!” Pinkie bounced behind him. “We were extra sprinkles on top sure that you were serious when you said you were attracted to all of us.” The four stopped, and Long’s heart began to attack his ribcage as they all slowly advanced on him. His tail tucked up, his ears flattened, and when Twilight touched his nose with hers, he let out a small whimper. “So, at the end of it all,” Twilight said with wicked delight, “we concluded that there was only one course of action to take. Long Run, you’re just going to have to date all of us.” Fear turned into confusion, and Long took a step back. “All of you?” All of the mares nodded. “Oh.” Long perked back up and ruffled his wings with a smile. “That’s not so bad, actually. So, how should we do this? I know you like schedules, Twilight, so should we say Tuesdays are your day, and then maybe Rainbow can have Thursdays? Or would it be better to date Pinkie on Tuesdays? I hear that’s usually a slow day for bakeries.” “No, no, no, you birdbrain.” Rainbow ran the tip of her wing down his right side while Twilight did the same to his left, and the shiver of delight that ran through his body made his right rear leg jackhammer against the ground. “You have to date all of us.”  “All of you?” Long repeated, the confusion dancing on his words. “Like, all of you together? At the same time?” “That’s what we’re saying!” Pinkie confirmed with a slightly manic giggle. “I can’t date all of you! Isn’t there some kind of law against that or something? How in Equestria am I supposed to pursue a relationship with the four of you all at once?” “You’ll just have to figure it out, won’t you?” Rainbow snarked. “You didn’t seem to have a problem with it before now.” Long stammered for a moment, and all of his efforts to refute Rainbow’s statement came to naught. In a way, he had already dated all four of them, and he had outright admitted that he was attracted to all four of them in one way or another… “You’re all serious about this?” he finally managed to say. “You all want to date me all at once?” “We’re as serious as the plague, Long Run,” Twilight said. “We even sorted out how all of us can move into your house together.” “Huh?” Long blurted. “Now you’re moving into my house, too?” “We have to,” Fluttershy said. “That’s the only way we can be sure that we’re all getting the same amount of Long Run time, and that one of us isn’t sneaking over in the middle of the night.” “But… that… how?” was the best sentence he could come up with. “It’s simple, really,” Rainbow cut in. “Your master bedroom is, like, gigantic, so we’ll all pitch in to buy a Celestia-size bed to share. Pinkie, Twilight, and Fluttershy will move some of their personal effects into your spare room, and I’ll just park my house out back and leave my stuff there.” “What about your animals?” Long asked Fluttershy. “Don’t you need to take care of them?” “Actually, most of them live at the sanctuary now,” Fluttershy replied. “Angel Bunny can move in here with Gummy and Owlolicious, and my cottage is only a few minutes away by air, so I can still stop by and make sure everything is fine.” Long had once wondered what a panic attack felt like. He decided right then that he didn’t like them. “And you, Princess?” “Starlight and Spike can take care of the castle, and it’s just as far to there as it is to the cottage. Spike even said he’s looking forward to having the whole place as his own personal bachelor pad, which started a lively debate with Starlight that I had to walk out of. I’ll still go there during the day to fulfill my role as the Princess of Friendship, but there’s no reason why I can’t spend nights with you in your house.” “Pinkie?” Long was sure he knew what she’d say, but he asked anyway in desperation. “Easy peasy rice with cheesy,” she scoffed. “I’ll leave all my party supplies in my room in Sugarcube Corner, so I really don’t have much of anything to bring to your digs.” “Good gravy, it’s like I’ve married all of you already,” he murmured with a deep breath. “Okay. Let me…” he held up a hoof and shook it slightly in thought “let me just think this through. All four of you want to date me. You’re all going to move in with me, and we’re going to try to balance five different personalities all at once.” “But think of the rewards,” Rainbow cooed in his ear as all four of them closed in and snuggled up against him. “Aren’t we worth it, Long Run?” Long thought that question over for several long moments. He pondered it, internally pontificated about it, analysed and scrutinized it. There was so much that could go wrong with this arrangement, and yet… If it actually worked out… Long Run made eye contact with each of the mares. He studied their faces, he tried to feel their true intent. “I suppose if that is your decision, then I will abide by it,” he said, his own smirk growing. “I hope the four of you can handle all of this,” he added with a quick gesture to himself. “Don’t worry about us, Long Run. We’ll put you in your place soon enough.” “I can hardly wait,” he happily replied. * * Ω * * ← Chapter 10-G: The One From Left Field →   “Thank you for being so patient, Long Run,” Twilight Sparkle offered with a sheepish smile. “I can only imagine how hard it’s been for you to wait.” “Thankfully, I’ve been able to keep myself busy,” Long said. “But I do want to clear all of this up as soon as possible.” “We all do,” Twilight answered. “The other girls are waiting in town for us. We agreed that it would be for the best.” “That it is.” Long let out a long breath, and his gaze drifted to the ground. “Is everything okay?” “Hmm? Oh, yeah,” he scoffed. “I just… I just have a lot on my mind. Once we all talk, I’m sure things will be a lot better.” The two of them rounded the last corner into town, and sure enough, Long found Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie waiting for him.  The corners of his mouth twitched up when he caught sight of the additional mare who was standing there, and a jolt of joy hit him square in the chest.  Twilight Sparkle, however, let out a nicker of confusion, her wings flaring upwards in surprise and slight alarm. “Sunset Shimmer? What in Equestria are you doing here?” “Hey, Twilight!” The trans-dimensional traveller gave her friend a quick hug and a warm smile. “It’s good to see you again! I was just catching up with everypony while we waited.” “I don’t know why she’s here, either,” Rainbow cut in. “I mean, it’s not like we’re not happy to see you or anything, but…” Sunset held up a hoof. “I know, this is all a bit of a surprise. But I figured I should be present for Long’s announcement.” “What announcement?” Fluttershy asked. Sunset sauntered over to Long’s side, and a dopey grin came to his face as his wing slid over her withers. “Girls, I’d like to introduce you to Sunset Shimmer, my fiancée.” “Your WHAT?” “Yup!” Sunset gave Long a nuzzle, and she beamed at the gawking, flabbergasted mares. “You’re looking at the future Missus Long Run!” “But how? When? Where? What?!” Twilight vocalized the frantic thoughts that were obviously on everypony’s minds. “It’s all a bit sudden, I realize,” Long offered. “And I’m sorry I couldn’t warn all of you, I truly am. I wanted to, but I didn’t have the chance.” “Back up, buster,” Rainbow Dash demanded. “You better start explaining yourself, and fast.” “Of course, of course. It all started this afternoon, after the four of you left to talk things over. Applejack and I came into town to buy supplies, but lo and behold, Sunset was also here for a friendly visit.” “Applejack and Long gave me the thirty-second version of what was going on when I asked where you were, Twilight,” Sunset added. “I didn’t want to interrupt, so I offered to help them in the meantime.” “I figured many hooves make light work, so I accepted her offer,” Long took over again. “She levitated the new pipes all the way back to my tree, and her magic was extremely helpful, especially when we were trying to work around the roots.” “Naturally, we started to chat while we worked, and Long filled me in on the details,” Sunset said with a small laugh. “I have to admit, it’s pretty funny. Fluttershy dressed up as Pinkie? I was blown away by what you did to help a friend. “But as we talked, I started to feel this odd burning feeling right here.” Sunset tapped her chest, then looked at Long with a deeper grin. “At first, I thought it was heartburn or something, but then I realized I wasn’t feeling something physical. This is,” she laughed. “This is gonna sound really stupid, but the more I talked with Long, the more I realized that I was in love with him.” “But you just met him!” Rainbow shouted.  “I know!” Sunset laughed with Long. “I never would have thought, in a million years, that love at first sight would happen to me, but here we are!” “Are you serious right now?!” It was Twilight’s turn to shout a question. “I’m really, really sorry, ladies.” Long said in a deeply contrite voice as Sunset nuzzled him again. “I truly and honestly have enjoyed every moment I’ve spent with all of you, but Sunset’s right. As crazy and as impossible as it all sounds, Sunset Shimmer and I are passionately in love. We’re going to be married at the end of next month. You’re all invited to come, of course.” “Right,” Sunset added with a nod. “However, it’s getting pretty late. Long and I need to start working on the details of the wedding, and we need to decide if we’ll have a ceremony in the human world, too.” “I bet we could,” he replied with a nip to her ear. “Maybe we can all sit down together once we have some plans drawn up, and I’ll buy you all dinner then, I promise. Shall we, my dear?” “Lead the way, love,” Sunset purred. “Good night, everybody. We’ll see you tomorrow.” The four jilted mares could only stare in shock at the suddenly-a-couple as they walked towards Gustav’s restaurant. After several minutes, Fluttershy managed to speak. “Um, what just happened?” “I have no idea,” Rainbow Dash answered. * * Ω * * ← Chapter 10-H: The Other Bad Ending → OR The Georg Ending   * * Ω * * “Come on out of there, you two-timing Casa Nova!” “Um. Technically, Twilight, he was four-timing us,” Fluttershy noted. “And I think letting Hairy Bear discuss things with him might be the correct response.” Hairy nodded, cracked his knuckles, and bared his fangs with a guttural growl. “And don't try flying out of your responsibilities!” bellowed Rainbow Dash from above a fairly substantial thunderhead that loomed over Long’s tree house with the rumble of impatient lightning. “I've got a couple gigavolts of electricity and I'm not afraid to use it!” “Not with my books in there!” shouted Princess Twilight Sparkle, whose eyes had gone white and little crackles of magical power were dancing across her wings spread wide behind her. “I'm sending him to the moon the moment I get a clear shot!” “I really think all of you are taking this a little bit too personally!” Long Run called out with the bare singed tips of his ears poking out just barely above an upper window. “If we can all just calm down, I’d be more than happy to discuss how I ended up sleeping with most of you, and YIPE!” His ears disappeared when the confetti bomb detonated mere inches away from his head.  “Step aside, everypony!” Pinkie announced while shoving a large, cylindrical streamer round in the barrel of her party cannon before taking aim at his front door. “You can’t hide in there forever, Long Run! It’s Party Time, and you’re the main guest!” “Don't you think we oughta do something?” asked Applejack. “Don't be so eager to push your nose into other ponies' business,” said Rarity, who was sitting at a fairly safe distance, carefully using a hoof file to polish out one ragged edge on her forehoof. “Besides, it would be interfering with our wager,” she added. * * Ω * *