Alternate Beginnings: Year Two

by Doug Graves

Ch. 3 - Fragility

Applejack commands, "Rarity, make sure Fluttershy has the foals with her, then run damage control. The party is over; if you need to, get Big Mac to help get the mares out of here. I'll get Doug, figure out what to do with Rainbow and Pinkie."

Applejack doesn't have to look far as she spots Doug standing close to the doorway. She says, "Doug, Rainbow told Pinkie about the foals, and she did it as bluntly as she could. You need to either find Rainbow and calm her down or work with Pinkie."

Doug scratches his chin. "I'll see what I can do with Pinkie." The mares clear the kitchen as Doug kneels down, saying softly to Pinkie, "So, I take it you didn't know about the foals?"

Pinkie Pie looks up at Doug; her eyes have stopped making waterfalls but the tears can still be seen. She slowly shakes her head, saying, "That's... that's the saddest thing I've ever heard. It's even sadder than the rock farm, where I thought I would never be happy. And... and it's not the sort of thing you can make better with a party, is it?"

Doug shakes his head, gathering the pink pony in his arms. She gladly cuddles next to him, wiping her tears off on his chest. She looks up as he responds, "No, I don't think one party will fix this. It will take years of effort, making sure that these foals grow up knowing they are loved regardless of how powerful their magic is. And you know what they could use to help them understand that?" Pinkie Pie's eyes grow larger as she waits for his answer. Doug smiles down at her, "They could sure use a party or two, to help celebrate their achievements."

A smile spreads over Pinkie's muzzle, "Oh, I don't think you could stop me from throwing just two parties!" She looks around the room as her mane poofs back to normal. "Huh. Well, I guess this party is over. Unless you need an after party to the party?" She forces a wide smile as Doug shakes his head. She pouts, "Aww. Well, I suppose I can help clean up. Thanks for helping cheer me up, Doug!"

Doug ruffles her mane as he says, "Well, sometimes we all need a little help staying optimistic about things. Even the things that make us sad and get us down."

Pinkie bounds out the room, "Sometimes, it just isn't that bad! Like you say, we can get through this, right?"

Doug chuckles as Pinkie leaves, saying to himself, "Well, I don't think I ever said that to you, but it still applies. Now, where would Rainbow have flown off to?"

The rest of the party has gone quiet. It is quite surreal for Applejack as she finds Fluttershy. The three foals huddle close to the frightened mare, her mane partly covering her muzzle. Applejack drops to ponyloaf next to her and asks in a soft voice, "How're they doing?"

Fluttershy peers around her mane at her lead mare. "Um, they are a little startled by the outburst. I am too." She looks back down to the floor, unable to hide her fright. Applejack strokes her side, wrapping a foreleg around her withers and nuzzling her. Each of the foals gets a little reassurance as well, their soft cries filled with worry and confusion.

Rarity stands in the center of the room, coughing loudly enough to quiet everypony down. She takes a long look at the gathering mares, hesitating slightly. "First off, I want to apologize for Rainbow Dash's behavior. She has been under a lot of stress, as have us all.” She pauses, a few ponies nodding along. “Regarding the foals, I do have some bad news. I was hoping that this would have come out under calmer circumstances, but regardless. The foals have a magical deficiency. Doctor Horse is unsure of the exact nature of the cause, but we suspect it has to do with Doug and his lack of magic."

Chatter erupts among the ponies at the revelation. One of them pipes up, "Why doesn’t Doug have any magic?" before the rest of the questions blend together.

Rarity wipes her eyes with a hoofkerchief and waits patiently for the ponies to quiet down. "Dear me, I'm sorry, this has been a trying time for all of us. It sounds like there is a need, so we will hold a meeting for any interested ponies tomorrow and answer any questions you have about Doug and the foals. But for now, please just know that the foals are safe and healthy. We thank you all for coming here. I know it is out of the way, and I look forward to introducing Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to all of your foals, and I hope you all have a wonderful day."

The Ponyvillians offer their condolences to Applejack and Rarity as they file out of the house. Pinkie Pie helps clean up the party while Doug heads outside, already clad in his winter garb. He glances from cloud to cloud, snow crunching under his boots as he walks down the rows of white capped apple trees.

Several minutes later Doug comes to the clearing at the northern edge of the farm. He spots Rainbow Dash under one of the trees, her eyes hidden under her hooves. He walks over, sitting down next to her, just listening to the soft sobs.

Rainbow slowly lifts her head, barely looking to see who is here, though the lack of hoofsteps gives it away. She pushes her body off the ground and inches over, setting her head in his lap. She pushes aside his coat, rubbing her head against his bare chest while moving her forelegs around his torso. She squeezes as Doug puts his arms around her, one hand moving to the top of her mane while the other hand wraps around her barrel, resting on her wings. He returns the hug as they both settle back against the tree.

Several minutes pass while Rainbow quietly cries. When she stirs she lets loose a louder sob, her flailing hooves lightly striking Doug in the chest. It doesn’t help, and she knows he’ll show a few welts, but she can’t stop herself.

Her rock merely holds her tighter, his voice quiet and sure. "Shh, Rainbow, it's okay. It's okay." Her strikes stop but not her tears as Doug continues, "It's okay. You didn't mess up, not that bad. Everything's being taken care of."

Rainbow tries to push away from Doug, mumbling, "No, you shouldn't have to deal with this. You would be better off without me." She starts fighting, squirming against Doug's arms. Yet he holds her tighter, unwilling to let her go. After a brief struggle Rainbow quiets down again, murmuring, "See, I'm so pathetic, I can't even get away from you. Figures I can't find a way to get past this."

Doug relaxes his grip, again moving his hands along her mane. "Well, it's a good thing you aren't doing it alone. You have me here to help you through this."

A voice pipes up from behind them, "And you have me standing with you, Rainbow." Rainbow looks up, tear streaked eyes trying to focus.

"You have me as well, darling."

"Um. And me."

"Ooh! Ooh! And me!"

A small bundle of energy barrels into Rainbow, happily babbling away. Rainbow clears her eyes to see her herd and Pinkie standing in front of her. Scootaloo pushes into her, doing her best to burrow into her dam’s side. The foal's wings flutter madly as she pushes, trying to get to her belly. Rainbow laughs as her herdmates move closer, each laying down next to her in the trampled snow. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle each follow their dam, pushing against them and quietly protesting the lack of warmth. Rainbow shifts her body, giving Scootaloo access while she stares into Doug's eyes.

Doug smiles at Rainbow, giving the mare a quick kiss before leaning back again. Rainbow shifts to her side, laying back down over Doug. She mutters so only he can hear, "Why do you put up with me? What makes me so special?"

A frown creases Doug's face as he holds her close, the sounds of suckling ringing from around them. "Besides that it's the right thing and I love you?" Rainbow nods into his chest and Doug sighs, continuing, "Because, Rainbow, I envy your ability to get so emotionally involved."

Rainbow looks up at him, frowning. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Doug scratches Rainbow's mane, pushing slightly until she settles her head back against him. "When I got to Equestria, I adapted myself to the situation. I changed my expectations of what I would do with my life to fit the new circumstances. When Applejack and I got together, I changed again. When we started the herd, I changed again. In every circumstance it's been something happening to me, and I adapt, I react."

Doug digs into Rainbow's mane, scratching harder and deeper, "With you, it's been you initiating the change. You wanted to be a Wonderbolt. You trained hard to accomplish that goal and, from what you told me, you nearly did. When your heat became a hindrance and you found what you thought was a solution, you acted and took that chance. Even now, with the foals, you aren't happy with the situation. I know you will do your best to fix this, and I envy that passion, that desire to change the world around you. It's how I know you will go on to do great things and not just in this herd, with these foals."

Rainbow rolls to her back, exposing her chest for Doug to continue scratching. Scootaloo protests, clambering on top of Rainbow to continue her meal. Doug continues, "It is the ponies who are unhappy with the situation and want to change it that will do so. I look at myself and this situation and I say, 'yes, I can deal with that'. My first instinct isn't to say, 'I'm unhappy with this and won't rest until it changes'. But yours is, and it frustrates you so badly when you don't see the solution you want. There is a saying, 'I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.' You, Rainbow? You would change the wind."

Rainbow smiles at Doug, moving her head to take a long, passionate kiss. The sounds around the two slowly quiet as she closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep, still locked in their embrace.

Comments

[Hero of time]

I hope they find a way to give them more magic

[Coretz]

Applejack commands, "Rarity, make sure Fluttershy has the foals with her, then run damage control. The party is over; if you need to, get Big Mac to help get the mares out of here. I'll get Doug, figure out what to do with Rainbow and Pinkie."

Twilight is years away and our favorite ponies are already learning the "Damage Control" routine... lmfao.

There is a saying, 'I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.' You, Rainbow? You would change the wind."

(Emphasis my own)

Literally.

[Triple B Studios]

9463054

I also like that: until Twilight makes her arrival to ponyville. Doug is in her place and is kinda a bookworm like her but different. I wonder how it’ll go down when he meets our adorkable mare

[DarkPhoenixx]

Oh wow I love what Doug said to Rainbow Dash. It is so moving and beautiful.

[Master king]

This is so heart warmingly beautiful I hope there's is a way yo help them in n the future.