//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Mothershy 
// by justanotherfan 
//------------------------------//

	The gentle knock at the door, as light as it was, still set off the magic that informed Twilight Sparkle that there was a visitor.  It woke her from her sleep and, after a few moments, she got up and went to the door.  Fluttershy stood outside in the dead of night.
Twilight rubbed at her eyes.  “Hey Fluttershy.  What are you doing up at this hour?”
“Um, sorry to disturb you so late,” said Fluttershy “but Rainbow Dash didn’t come home tonight and I was just wondering if you had seen her recently?”
“Yeah, she’s here actually,” Twilight said, stretching a little.  “Uh, come in, come in.”
Fluttershy entered the castle and followed Twilight down the hallways.  “So…” Twilight started.  “Rainbow told me about how you want to be a mother…”
Fluttershy gasped.  “Sh-she told you that?”
“Yes.  She’s been helping research with me for hours for a way that the two of you can have a child.  Ah, there she is,” she said as they entered the library.  Rainbow had fallen asleep at a desk with several books surrounding her and one under her head, which she was currently drooling on.  Twilight cringed when she saw the drool and gently lifted Rainbow’s head to slide the book out from under her.
Fluttershy brushed a lock of mane out of Rainbow’s face and kissed her lightly on the cheek.  Rainbow shifted slightly in her sleep.  “Oh Rainbow,” Fluttershy said quietly.  “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
“I haven’t seen her reading this much since she re-binged on the Daring Do novels for the third time,” said Twilight.
“H-have you made any progress?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight sighed.  “No.  Sorry.”
“It’s alright,” Fluttershy said softly.
“But hey, there’s still maybe a thousand more books in here that we haven’t gotten through yet.  And there’s more coming in from the Royal Archives in Canterlot and the Crystal Empire nearly every day.  We might find something.”
“s there any way I can help?”
Twilight shrugged.  “I suppose you could drop in whenever you get some free time.  I know how busy you are with your animals.”
“Hmmm.  I think there are a few hours tomorrow afternoon that I’m not doing anything important.”
“Well don’t worry about it too much; it’s not like we’re pressed for time or anything.  Besides, I’m certain that whatever happens, you and Rainbow would be great parents.”
Fluttershy turned a misty-eyed smile upon her before rubbing up against her neck.  “Thank you, Twilight.”
“Anything for a friend, Fluttershy.”