//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Chasing the Rainbow // by Liquidfirest0rm //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash was pacing in circles around the center table of the Golden Oaks library. This was much to the chagrin of a certain lavender colored Alicorn who was trying to read at said table, as more than once now, she had gotten her tail stepped on. Another pass was made around the table and she let out a growl of frustration before yelling at the pacing pegasus. “Rainbow! Would you please stop pacing already!” She exclaimed with a huff. “I’m sorry, Twi. I’m just so nervous!” She said, fidgeting with her tail. “Rainbow, they aren’t gonna be here for another two hours.” Applejack said, placing a comforting hoof on the pegasus’ back. “Relax, we got plenty of time.” “I know, but what if they don’t approve of what we’re doing? I mean, it isn’t exactly something you see ponies going around doing all the time.” “Rainbow, these are our friends we’re talking about. If anyone is going to be understanding about this, it will be them.” Twilight said from her spot at the table. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a mite bit nervous myself. It’s not everyday you tell your friends that you’re dating two mares at the same time.” “Come on AJ, I’m sure they’ll be happy for us no matter what.” The alicorn's nerves were being worn thin by the worry her herdmates were exuding. “Look, I know that you’re both worried about this, but getting yourselves worked up by thinking about all the ‘what if’s’ isn’t going to do anything but stress you out more. Try finding something to take your mind off of it like I am.” She finished, turning back to her book. “Yeah, why don’t we finish up that Daring Do book we started, AJ?” Rainbow walked over to the shelf and pulled it down. “Well, I suppose it beats frettin over all of this. Besides ya make it sound real interesting when ya tell the story out loud.” She curled up next to Rainbow on the couch as the pegasus began to read. Twilight smiled at the sight of her herdmates cuddled up together. Picking up her book, she moved over to the chair beside the couch and got comfortable before picking up where she left off. She couldn’t explain it, but over the last month, just being near her herd made her feel giddy. Maybe it was the newness of it all, or maybe it was the risk involved with having three ponies together at once. Whatever it was, she liked the feeling and hoped it would never leave. She tried to go back to her reading, but gave up after reading the same part over again for the fourth time and resigned to let her imagination roam. She thought back to how this whole mess had started in the first place. How hectic everything had been, and now, she couldn’t imagine things not being this way. When it had just been her and Rainbow, she had thought that she had everything she could ever want. Now the thought of not having Applejack in her life gripped at her heart. Watching the two on the couch, Rainbow animatedly reading the story while Applejack followed along with all the attention of a foal. It brought a smile to her face, and she made a resolution with herself that no matter what anypony thought, she wouldn’t let their opinions change things. She sat there with a goofy smile on her face as she thought about all the stuff they had done together and toyed around with ideas of stuff that they could do in the future. Her smile fell from her face as that thought went through her head. What would the future hold for the three of them? Rainbow would obviously still be working towards becoming a full Wonderbolt, and Applejack had the farm to think about. Still, if they had managed to uphold their friendship these past few years, she knew their herd could handle anything. She returned to her book, the library falling to relative silence, Rainbow's storytelling aside. Before long, there was a knock on the door drawing the attention of the three mares. Looking up at the clock, she saw it read two o'clock exactly. Rainbow put the book down as Twilight got up from her chair and walked to the door. She opened it with her magic, smiling as she saw her three friends on the other side of the door. "Hi girls. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I hope I'm not keeping you from anything important." She said, moving out of the doorway so they could enter. She closed the door and turned around, noticing that Rainbow and Applejack had gotten up and moved to the middle of the room. "Of course not, darling. Our friends always come first." Rarity said. "Yepperooni! We wouldn't be very good friends if we ignored you!" Pinkie said as she bounced in place. Fluttershy nodded her consent with the other two. Twilight moved across the room and took a place between Rainbow and Applejack. Giving each of them a glance, she turned to the other three ponies in the room, hesitating a moment as she tried to find the right words. “Well girls, the reason we asked you to come here, is because Applejack, Rainbow Dash and myself have something that we need to tell you. It’s going to sound a little weird but please hear us out.” She was answered with nods by all three. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll start off by telling you that myself and Rainbow Dash have been seeing each other for about seven months now.” Her cheeks flushed as she wrapped a wing around the rainbow mare. This earned her shocked gasps from two of the three in front of her, and a knowing smirk from the third. Before any of them could speak up, she pressed on, cutting off anything they would have said. "About a month ago, however, Applejack decided to confess her own feelings for Rainbow. Instead she walked in on Rainbow and myself sharing a… um… moment.” She said, her blush deepening. Rarity nodded. “Oh yes, she told me about that. She was all torn up, the poor dear.” Applejack pulled her hat down over her eyes, failing miserably to hide her unease at the revelation. “Um, excuse me.” Fluttershy asked in confusion, raising a hoof. “What do you mean ‘a moment’?” “She walked in on me and Twi making out.” Rainbow answered bluntly. “Oh, my.” The quiet mare responded, slowly shrinking in on herself as her face heated up. Twilight shot Rainbow a glare. “Anyway,” Twilight continued, “Applejack ran away after seeing us, and we didn’t see her for a day, during which time I did some research into relationships to see if I could find a solution to our problem. “I was looking through an old book, and found a chapter on something called ‘herding’.” This garnered various looks of confusion from her audience. “According to the book, it’s an older form of relationship in which there are more than two ponies.” The three were now leaning forward slightly, beginning to see where this was going. “We talked it over, and Rainbow, Applejack and myself decided to try it out. As of a month ago, the three of us are officially dating as a herd.” She finished, cringing for the outrage that might have come from her revelation. “Oh, that’s just marvelous!” Rarity said, smiling brightly. “I’m just so happy for you three.” The mare rushed forwards to give the three a hug of approval, only to meet Pinkie halfway there. The two met head on, both of them falling over, rubbing their heads and trading apologies. “I’m so super duper excited for you guys!” Pinkie exclaimed, getting up and turning towards Applejack, Rainbow, and Twilight. “You guys are just so perfect together!” She pulled the three into one big hug using means only available to the pink mare. Rarity followed suit after regaining her bearings. “Indeed, for once I share Pinkie’s enthusiasm.” She said hugging them individually. As she turned, she noticed that Fluttershy was still curled up on the floor where she was earlier. “Something the matter, darling?” She asked as she moved over to her quiet friend. “Oh, um no. I’m very happy for you.” She said unconvincingly. The other four turned towards her upon hearing her speak. “What’s wrong, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked gently. The yellow mare looked around briefly, staying curled up on herself. “Nothing.” she answered, looking down to avoid Twilight’s eyes. Rainbow flew over and landed beside her, startling her a little. “C’mon, Fluttershy, we’re all friends here. What’s eatin ya?” “It’s nothing, really.” She said, trying to hide behind her hair. “Yeah, it doesn’t look like nothing.” Pinkie Pie walked over next to Rainbow, and soon they were all gathered in a semicircle around Fluttershy. “C’mon girl, spit it out already.” Applejack stated, starting to lose patience with her shy friend. “Well… it’s just… this seems strange to me is all.” She said, looking anywhere but at her friend’s faces. “I just thought… it was something special that was shared between two ponies.” “Well duh. It is something special between two ponies. They just happened to find it so special that they were willing to share it with a third pony!” Pinkie said excitedly, completely violating Fluttershy’s personal space. “It does sound nice when you put it that way.” The quiet pegasus said, perking up a little. “I know it’s a little… unorthodox, but I’m sure you’ll get used to it with time.” Twilight said. “Yeah, it was a little weird at first, but it kinda grows on you after a while.” Rainbow said, nuzzling against Applejack. “I’m happy for you all,” she started quietly. “I really am, it will just take some getting used to. I’m sorry.” she finished, hiding behind her bangs. “That’s fine,” Applejack said, walking over to put a hoof around Fluttershy. “I know this is a big change. Until Granny Smith set me straight, I honestly thought these two were just inventing this whole herd business as a way of letting me down easy.” “If it would make things any easier for you, we could make sure that we aren’t affectionate with each other when you’re around, until you are more comfortable.” Twilight chipped in with a smile, the other two nodding in agreement. “That would be nice.” Fluttershy replied, peeking out of her hair. “If it isn’t too much trouble that is.” “No problem. Whatever it takes to make sure you’re comfortable with this, Shy” Rainbow said, putting her two bits in. “Thank you, girls, I’m sorry to be such a bother.” She said, looking down and pawing the floor with a hoof. “Really, it’s no trouble.” Twilight reassured her again, giving Fluttershy a comforting hug. “Well I think it’s time we head out.” Rarity spoke up. “I appreciate you all keeping the rest of us in the loop. I certainly am overjoyed for the three of you to have worked this out. When Applejack visited me, she was positively heartbroken. It’s nice to see her in good spirits again.” She started making her way to the door, Fluttershy following in her wake. They said their goodbyes and left, the door closing softly behind them. “Where’s Pinkie?” Rainbow asked, noticing that she hadn’t seen her friend leave. “Knowing her, probably off planning some sort of party to celebrate for us.” Applejack said. “Well, let’s not worry about it right now.” Twilight said, knowing how much of a headache trying to figure out their pink friend could be. “All things considered, I think that went pretty well.” She used her magic to pull the others to her sides. “Yeah,” Rainbow agreed. “and don’t worry about Fluttershy. She’ll warm up to this faster than you might think.” “I’m actually surprised that Pinkie and Rares took that so well. The whole thing went better than I could have hoped for.” Applejack walked back over to the couch where they had been sitting earlier, and sat down, letting out a sigh of contentment. Her two marefriends went over to join her, and Rainbow Dash picked up the Daring Do book that had been lying on the table. “Now where were we?” “Actually, I feel like celebrating.” Twilight broke in. “Would you guys like to go anywhere? My treat!” She finished exuberantly. Rainbow and Applejack shared a knowing look, breaking out into smiles as they both looked back towards Twilight, both giving her their answer in unison.