“Look you three,” exclaimed Rarity one chilly October afternoon, “you’re all tearing Ponyville apart!”
Rainbow, Twilight, and I glared at her, directing our undivided attention from lunch. This was just one of those few times our schedules actually lined up. This wasn’t a date, far from it in fact. We wanted to catch up and I specifically wanted to make sure we were still all on the same page: nowhere slowly. What can I say, I wanted a fair-ish race.
She sighed, seeing how unamused we all were at her barging into our lunch. “Okay, you’re just tearing the gossip lines apart. How am I supposed to know what someponies are doing when all I hear is your relationships?”
“Well Miss Smartypants,” snapped Twilight, “what are you thinking about?”
Hearing Twilight calling somepony else ‘Smartypants’ sent shivers down my spine. My eyes darted to Rarity, hoping it was worth bringing up.
Rarity responded simply by gulping hard before bringing up her proposition. “Well, you know polygamy is legal.”
“What’s your point Rarity,” harped Twilight.
“You sure Rare,” I chanced. I knew what she was biting at, but I wasn’t sure if she was saying this so she could hear gossip about someone else’s life for a change or not.
“Absolutely, I just want to help you three.”
“What are you three talking about,” fumed Rainbow.
“What we are talking about Rainbow,” explained Twilight, “is we could pursue a multiple partner relationship. If you want me to give you a simpler version, then it means we can both be with Alex.”
Rainbow turned to stare at me. “What do you think Al?”
“Well,” I bit my lip, “it really depends on what we all think. I mean, personally speaking, it means you both aren’t fighting over me and it removes a colossal burden from my mind.”
“The real drawback is we’ll have to share him Rainbow.”
“But it’s like Al said,” Rainbow retorted, “it stops the fighting and it’ll de-stress him. Twilight, you gotta agree that’s a plus.”
“I know, and I won’t deny it also helps ease the tension we’ve had since Alex’s return to our lives.”
“What you really mean is since you both shared your feelings right?” All attention darted back to Rarity at her question. “Correct me if I’m mistaken, but that is when it began to get at your own emotions right Alex?”
“Look, it’ll make Lyra take a hint already,” interjected the cyan daredevil before I could say anything.
Twilight and I could only nod in agreement. “She’ll get that it’s purely an academic relationship she has with you Alex,” added Twilight pleasantly.
“Then how about we give it a shot for now, if it can’t work then we’ll have some decision making to do.” I wasn’t one hundred percent for this, it had plenty of potential to end poorly.
Rarity giggled as soon as she saw Twilight and Rainbow nodding in agreement. “I just hope you’ll think of me for the wedding dresses.”
“Now you’re just pushing it Rare,” commented Rainbow dryly.
“Agreed,” added Twilight, matching Ranbow’s tone perfectly. “I may have to look into a Canterlot boutique if need be.”
“But-”
Rainbow gave a sly glance towards Twilight, she caught on to the librarian’s plan. “Yes, I’ll just remember to put in an order up in Cloudsdale when it’s time.”
“But-but,” Rarity sniffled. This, unfortunately, prompted the duo to burst out laughing. “Why must you girls torture me so,” she whined.
“Because they care for you Rarity,” I replied casually. “I would personally like to thank you for the idea, but try not to rub our noses in it next time okay?”
“Cause the last thing we need are more problems,” added Rainbow as she tried her hardest to stifle her laughter.
Rarity always seemed to show an ability to spring back from a minor social disgrace, minor of course being relative. In this case however, we were met with her galloping off.
I sighed. “What am I gonna do with you two?”
“We’ll try the idea she brought up,” replied Twilight calmly, “but first we’ll finish lunch and find Rarity so we can actually apologize. Regardless of her motives, Rarity was trying to help and we just cast her aside.”
“Well duh Twilight,” Rainbow said casually, “Rare wants to open up her lines of gossip again. She wants everypony to stop saying things about the three of us. Don’t act like you haven’t heard any of it, cause we’ve been around our friends long enough to hear things we wouldn’t hear from anypony else.”
Memories of Fluttershy visiting me at the clock tower flashed before my eyes. She had come by regularly, always wondering the same thing: am I just playing both of our friends, pitting them against each other to garner my affections.
“I know,” Twilight replied supportively, “after we finish lunch we should still go and apologize to her. What have you heard Rainbow?”
“Lotsa stuff, mostly over-exaggerated arguments turned into fights between you and me over who gets Al. I mean, we both know better than to actually get physical right?”
Twilight nodded in agreement. “You’d be very judgmental about that, right Alex?”
“After what flack I get from Fluttershy regularly I’d really consider it a very childish notion for either of you to get violent,” I replied. “I mean, you’re both respectable ponies. You know violence isn’t the solution.”
“Just what does Fluttershy have to say?”
“Well, she’s afraid I’m just sitting back and letting you both compete for my amusement.” They both shot me accusatory glares. “Don’t worry girls, I wouldn’t dare do that to either of you. You both mean too much for me to do something so cruel, even if we were just friends I wouldn’t do something like that.”
“Well, if we wanna try this polygamy thing then let’s see where it goes,” Rainbow said, making sure she was loud enough to get some surrounding ponies to pay attention.
“Should I arrange a new meeting with my parents,” asked Twilight in a hushed voice. “I mean, so that they know the entirety of our relationship.”
“No,” I replied in an equally quiet voice. “Thank you for asking this time though. If it really pans out then we can try to get it planned out.”
“I’d like it if you both met my parents too,” added Rainbow. “I mean, I’ve written letters about how we’ve saved Equestria and stuff but they don’t know a whole lot about what’s going on in my everyday life. Mom sent me a letter about the article in the Foal Free Press when she saw it but that’s it. We just, ya know, don’t talk a whole lot.”
I stared at my empty glass and ran my own schedule through my head. We tried to plan these little get-togethers around meeting two at a time, in addition to schedules but now. “How’s everyone’s night on Friday?”
“Well,” Started Twilight as she started to think about it, “I have a research paper I need to finish for Princess Celestia but I could squeeze in a dinner date.”
“Sounds good,” commented Rainbow, “I’ll go and change the reservation for three on Friday then. Dinner’s at nine Twi.”
*****
Even as I was getting ready for dinner later on in the week I was trying to wrap my head around a polygamous relationship. It freed up lots of time on my part and, more importantly stopped me from having to decide between Dash and Twilight on the evenings they were both free. Before this, I had to keep track of who I was spending more time with, more often than not it was Rainbow. That led to a lot of stargazing and home-cooked meals by Twilight.
It was an awkward feeling, knowing I was walking into town this evening for a date with both Twilight and Rainbow, but the scary part of the day had already passed. Earlier on, Fluttershy had paid me a visit again. This time however, she was pretty nasty, threatening to do something rather… extreme to me if I hurt either Rainbow or Twilight. Naturally, I had every intention to do exactly what she said before she even said it, but it had left me a little nervous that afternoon.
“Don’t blow it,” harped my reflection.
“I know,” I told it casually.
“No slouching, and be polite.”
“Yes mom,” I replied dully.
“Don’t you dare roll your eyes at me,” it yelled as I left the room. I really hate that thing sometimes, I had after all, rolled my eyes.
*****
Dash and I hadn’t planned on a really fancy restaurant and I had hoped Twilight had no intention to overdress and make us both look like idiots for budgeting like decent people.
As I made my way into town I passed by the library and saw Twilight eagerly waiting for me. She had decided to, thankfully, just be herself. “So you can tell a lot about a man by the clothes he wears,” she said as she cantered up beside me. “Jacket and slacks, just as I had anticipated but,” she took in a deep whiff, “I wasn’t expecting the cologne.”
“Too much?”
“I’m just wondering why you don’t wear it when you spend the evening with me.”
“Cause tonight’s something special,” came Rainbow’s voice as she dropped down to join us. “Face it Twilight, we’re all going out as a… erm… how would you say couple if there’s three of us?”
“Threesome,” Twilight suggested.
“A little suggestive Twi,” I told her, “but I guess it’ll have to do.”