Love under Equestrian‎ Skies.

   "Okay, you're dating Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, Derpy, Zecora, AND Princess Luna?" Twilight looked kind of crazed, as if she was suffering some sort of illness, NOT just having a conversation. I nodded,

   "Yes, Twilight. That's what I am telling you. I will also tell you that I love all of them in their own special way."  Twilight sighed,

   "Forgive me for sounding mean, but, HOW can you manage this!? It's just illogical!" Her hoof banged the table,  sending poor Opalescence to the ceiling with a screech. I began to feel flustered and maybe threatened. Rarity spoke up,

   "Well, Twilight, anything you've never heard of before DOES seem sort of illogical at first. But, shouldn't Bubble Gum be given a chance?" Twilight looked at her,

   "Sure. But, what if she ever wants to get married? THEN what?" Now all eyes were on me, and my heart began pounding.

   "Uhm...well, I guess I would choose the one I want and then hope the others would continue to love me, get married and have everypony hate me, or never get married." Twilight scoffed,

   "The second one sounds about right!" I shrunk back, tears forming, though I didn't show it. This time, Shining, after sitting rather awkwardly between the three of us, spoke up,

   "TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" She jumped and turned to him, sensing she was about to get scolded,

   "Y-yes?" Shining now stood and towered over Twilight,

   "WHAT in the name of Celestia has gotten into you!?" Twilight pinned her ears back,

   "Shining! Do you NOT realize what's going to happen!? She's going to hurt my FRIENDS!" Shining sighed and face-hoofed,

   "No, Twily. What she's saying is that, unless they say they'd stay if she got married AND the mare she's get married to didn't mind sharing, she'd be willing to sacrifice her happiness for that mare." By then, the tears had faded, and for a moment, I thought I could have loved Shining Armour. Twilight continued to argue with him, but I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up, a feeling of nausea washing over me,

   "I've gotta go!" Rarity gave Twilight a dirty look then turned back to me,

   "Very well, Darling. I suppose we can meet at the spa to discuss Luna's gift some more?" I nodded,

   "Sure, thing!" I then bolted out the door, just about flattening Big Mac,

   "Hey! Watch where yer goin'!" If I wasn't so flustered with Twilight, I would have been shocked he spoke a full sentence,

   "Oh...sorry Big Mac. Don't suppose you could give me directions to the clinic?" He nodded,

   "Eeyup! Right down the road and three buildings to the right." I hugged him,

   "Thanks! I wanted to go see Derpy before I went back to the Palace." He nodded,

   "Sure thing. I guess I'll see you tomorrow when you pick Apple Jack up for the date?" I nodded,

   "Sure thing! See you, Big Mac!" I flew down the road, not noticing I had flown passed the clinic...twice.

   "I would like to know just WHAT Twilight has against me. I doubt it's because of my choices here." I continued circling the clinic, blowing off steam. I knew in my heart that she WOULD come around at SOME time. I stopped outside the door and knocked. Nurse RedHeart came out,

   "Oh...are you here to see Ms. Hooves?" I nodded,

   "Yeah. Is she okay?" RedHeart nodded,

   "Yes. Though, she's not back to normal yet; she's got a concussion. I'd like to know WHO did this." I nodded,

   "As would I. Well, thanks for letting me in." I walked to Derpy's bedside, the sterile hospital smell hanging so thickly in the air, it was almost a wall, surrounding me and smothering me. Only for Derpy, would I step foot in a place like this. The cold tile floor made me shiver, the beeping of machines made me uneasy. Simply said, I HATE hospitals. I was told to expect her appearance to be altered, for her not to be awake, and if she is, she's got enough drugs in her to make her not recognize me at all. As I neared the bed, my stomach began making strange sounds and, despite the well-heated room, I got cold. WHAT was behind the curtain? Would Derpy be all disfigured from the attack? Would she be covered in tubes?

   I stopped for a moment, hoping to calm myself down. I looked around for something, a child's get-well card, a poster, something to focus on. But, there was nothing. This clinic was like any other clinic; cold, uncaring, and boring. Finally, I got the nerve to approach the bed and pull the curtain back. There, in the bed was the unconscious Derpy Hooves. I felt tears in my eyes and tried to fight them back; Derpy wasn't supposed to be here! She, as I learned earlier, is a MOTHER! I leaned closer to her, pushing her mane aside, serious swelling all over the whole left side of her head and face. The sight of this made me sick to my stomach. Sweet little Derpy, covered in blood, her mane and coat shorn away in some places, breathing tubes and other medical tubes and attachments. Was Twilight right? Did somepony INTENTIONALLY target Derpy because of MY choices? Tears welled up in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks faster than I could wipe them away.

   "Derpy..." I whispered, "I'm sorry if I got you into this! I NEVER wanted to hurt you or see you hurt!" All that could be heard was the beeping of the machines she was connected to and her breathing. I placed a hoof on hers, longing for her golden eyes to open, to hear her voice. I heard somepony coming and turned to see RedHeart.

    "Sad, isn't it?" She whispered. I wanted to kick her in the face. OF COURSE it was sad! Did she think I WANTED to bring somepony I loved to her clinic and have them in a medically induced coma!? I swallowed my rage and sighed,

   "Yes. It is. Did she say who did it?" RedHeart shook her head,

   "No. She was talking nonsense about muffins and how they attacked her...I'm sure she was trying her very best to tell us, but her head was too scrambled." I nodded. RedHeart spoke again, "Shining Armour is here to get you. I told him to let you stay for a bit longer." I smiled and hugged her,

   "Thanks!" She laughed and told me it was no big deal then walked out. I turned back to Derpy; only to find she was AWAKE.

   "D...Derpy?" She smiled weakly,

   "Hey..." I began to cry again,

   "Who did this to you?" I sobbed. She blinked a few times and somehow managed to sit up,

   "The muffins." I looked at her,

   "Sweetie, I'm being serious!" She looked at me,

   "No; there was a plate of muffins from the CMC." I nodded,

   "Sweetie, I don't think you should eat something yet; you're head's still swollen as anything and I don't know if it's spread to your throat or not." Derpy's one good eye teared up,

   "But...you...promised..." I sighed,

   "Alright...I'll ask RedHeart." So, I poked my head into the next room and called for her. She came in and asked what it was. "Derpy is awake and seems to be okay. She's asking for her muffins." RedHeart smiled and laughed,

   "That's WONDERFUL! I'll go in and see if she's okay, you grab a muffin for you and her." I nodded and went to get them, bumping into Shining.

   "Whoops! Sorry, Shining!" He laughed and helped me up,

   "I'm assuming you're getting the muffins?" I nodded, then looked up at him,

   "So...how's Twilight?" His ears twitched and he dug at the ground nervously,

   "She, uh...Well, she isn't thrilled about how many mares you're with. But, really, BubbleGum, she's a REALLY great gal once you get to know her." I sighed,

   "Do you think she's just jealous? What if she's in love with one of the mares I'm with?" Shining thought that over for a moment and shrugged,

   "I don't know. It IS seriously odd for her to just start disliking somepony for no reason." I nodded and offered him a muffin; blueberry, Derpy's favorite.

   "Listen, no disrespect or anything but one of my marefriends is in there and she needs my support. Can we talk about this another time?" Shining nodded,

   "Sure thing." As I turned to go back into the room, I stopped,

   "Oh! Any word on Dinky? Is she okay?" Shining chuckled,

   "She's staying with Rarity, don't worry.  Sweetie showed up with her soon after you left." I felt a wave of relief wash over me and I allowed myself a smile,

   "Good. Poor thing is probably heart-broken." Shining nodded,

   "Yeah, Rarity was making her hot chocolate when I left." Shining then yawned, "I'll bring you to the palace as soon as you want." I nodded and walked back to Derpy's side.

   Derpy was now sat up and smiling, a very welcome sight after today, trust me.

   "Muffin?" I laughed,

   "Yes, yes. Here is your muffin." She took it and took a giant-sized bite,

   " Fank-ooo" I laughed and handed her some milk,

   "You're welcome!" After a moment, she looked back at me,

   "BubbleGum? Where's Dinky? Is she okay?" I nodded and smoothed her mane,

   "Yes. Rarity is taking care of her." Derpy sighed, seemingly relieved.