Living in Equestria

Scootaloo hated chores. She'd known that before coming to live here with the Apples but now it was a sure thing. There were so many other fun things she'd rather be doing right now than baking in the hot sun looking at the underside of leaves on the potato plants for the little beetles that ate them. There were hundreds of the green sprouts fanning out as far as she could see. Her heart sunk when she realized she'd only done 1 row so far.

"Eerrggh!" She kicked at the soft earth under her hooves. "Ain't there a spell or something for this?!!"

"Scootaloo... how many times I gotta tell ya, no there ain't! We ain't gonna get this done any faster with ya belly achin! You heard mah sister, we're way behind with all this stuff!" Apple Bloom scowled at her from the next row over. While she may be the one pushing her to work, she wasn't doing much better. Apple Bloom was only two plants ahead of her and they'd been at it for the same time.

She wanted Mason to come back and take her away from this. He'd been gone for a couple of hours now, long enough for both of them to get cleaned up before Applejack came in for lunch and recruited them for beetle duty. Scootaloo had felt so much better after Mason and Apple Bloom were together, it was like a horrible itchy feeling in her mind had been scratched real good and she could think again. But it wasn't gone... the itch was already starting to creep up on her. She knew why, too.

Sweetie Belle.

When Luna had come to her last night, she finally got the answers she needed from somepony who knew what was going on. Ever since that day in Cloudsdale, she had been getting worse and worse about her urge to share Mason. Before the dream, she didn't understand what herding really was. Dash had tried to explain it to her, but it still didn't make a lot of sense. Why? Why would something like this even exist? And why her and Mason?

A lot was cleared a lot up for her that night and what she learned was that this whole thing wasn't just about her... it was about the overall happiness of Equestria in general. She had no idea that a herd meant so much to the harmony of everypony around her.

"There is a great need for stallions in Equestria, Scootaloo. There are too many fillies and mares for everypony to have a single stallion just to themselves. Long ago, the great ponies of old knew that in order for peace to reign... balance and harmony must be kept. This much you know of The Elements of Harmony." Luna had told Scootaloo in her dream and she had nodded, listening closely.

"But there are many things that The Elements of Harmony cannot fight. You yourself have experienced the coming of your estrus... or heat, as it is often called. You have felt the power it has over your body and mind, causing you distress and frustration. Without the balance of the herding magic to help combat this feeling in groups of mares, it would cause much conflict and disharmony throughout the land. And thus, the great ponies of old created the herding spell."

"I don't understand..." Scootaloo had said to this, slightly embarrassed to be talking about this with Luna. "What's this got to do with me?"

"In celebration of your unique love, you have been gifted the magic of the herd, our greatest weapon against this threat. You and Mason share a special bond that can now never be broken by the jealousy of a stallion or mare. Because of this, your love can be shared freely with those around to you, helping to fight the influence of estrus on the harmony of Equestria. It is a great honor and not bestowed on everypony, Scootaloo... for the magic also ensures you will be together with Mason... forever."

"But... It's just Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and I. How are three fillies...?" she trailed off, not understanding how her and her two friends could possibly make a difference.

Luna smiled at her with patience. "Your emotional bond with Mason is the core of the magic and is your special connection. Your two friends will also be drawn into that bond, so they may support you if ever you doubt it's calling. This is the make up of a herd, Scootaloo. A mare and her very close friends bonded in love for the greater good. However, it is your physical connection with him that should be shared with many through this magic, whenever the estrus may cause disharmony."

"Huh?" Scootaloo had cocked her head at this.

"A time may come when many of your other friends will need the physical love you and Mason have. It will be his place to help them with the threat of estrus against the peace of Equestria. Because of you, everypony you know and love can be protected and never have to fear from it's effects."

Scootaloo's face crinkled. "But... Why don't you just make... like a team of stallions? And that's all they do? Why all the magic and confusion and stuff?"

"A very wise question, Scootaloo..." Luna tossed her sparkling mane to the other side of her body. "The ponies of old began with this in mind, but found that jealousy and mistrust easily corrupted the stallions who eagerly answered the summons. It caused the balance to shift and fall to the side of chaos. Even today this tradition still exists, for stallions and mares are quick to include others in their physical love, without the bond of the herd behind it. Great friendships and family have suffered deeply from it."

"I..." she flattened her ears against her head and looked away. This was a lot to think about.

"Do not worry, little one... you will understand it completely in time, and so will Mason. When you awake, you will find him in the orchard... in the place you share with your friends."

And with that, the dream ended.

She knew in her heart Luna was right. She could feel the change already when she though about Mason. Since this morning Apple Bloom was a part of those thoughts now, her close friendship mixing and intertwining with the love she felt for him in a reassuring and comforting way. She supposed maybe she loved Apple Bloom that way too... but couldn't bring herself to talk that specifically when the two of them had been alone earlier before today's chores.

"Somepony ought to make a spell..." she grumbled and resumed flipping over the leaves. Her coat and wings were hot against her back from the summer sun. But her wish for a distraction came not long after she had finished up the first row and started on the next. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see Rainbow Dash and Mason coming up the path.

"Hey ya squirt!" Rainbow Dash called when the came near. Scootaloo heard her, but was too busy running full speed at Mason. She jumped and slammed into his arms, feeling them wrap around her tightly.

"Hey Scoot." he said happily in her ear. His voice made everything better... even the chores.

"Where ya guys been?!" she said after giving him an affectionate lick on his cheek. She tasted soap.

"At Rainbow Dash's house for a while, we ran into a mess up in Cloudsdale. Your father's trial has started and I flew right into it! There were press ponies everywhere taking pictures. Rainbow Dash saved me from them!"

She thought she should feel something about the mention of her father, but she found an indifference to him that had replaced her usual bad feelings. For this she was glad.

"Oh, Is he still... frozen?" The last time she saw him he had been frozen in place by Celestia's magic.

"I dunno, never saw him. But I imagine so. We can get the paper tomorrow and find out."

"Hey Squirt, ya wanna come with me? I need to talk to ya." Rainbow Dash spoke up. She then looked over at Mason with a glance that made Scootaloo think something was up.

"Why... what's going on?"

"Nuthin!" Dash said quickly. "Just wanna talk with ya for a bit... that's all."

"Mason!" Apple Bloom had finally reached them. She trotted awkwardly over to him with the now dirty cast and Scootaloo watched as Mason bent down to embrace her tightly. She could almost feel his arms around her again when he did as if she could feel Apple Bloom's happiness too. It brought up an idea she'd been having all day now that she understood more about what was going on. She didn't know if she could change the magic... but for Dash she'd try anything!

"Sure, Dash. Lets go!" Scootaloo's stomach began to flutter. She didn't know what Dash wanted to talk to her about, but she knew what she wanted to ask Dash and it made her suddenly anxious. What if Dash was thinking the same thing? This caused her heart to speed up a bit. They walked off away from the potato field with Scootaloo trying to hide a grin at the idea.

"So... I'm just gonna come right out and say it, squirt. I taught Mason a thing or two about how to make a mare feel good today. I wanted to make sure his skills in bed were up to par. If he's gonna be with my adoptive sister, I want him to do it right!"

Scootaloo stopped in her tracks, Dash went a couple of paces further before realizing it and turned to face her. A sudden look of worry came over the blue pony's face.

"That's... alright... isn't it Scoots?" she looked hopefully at her. "I mean... he is a herded stallion. I wouldn't have ever done it otherwise! Plus... I kinda needed it." she rubbed the back of her neck in awkwardness.

Scootaloo blinked. "You... were with Mason already?"

"Well.. with is kinda definite... more like a knocked some experienced mare sense into him!" she tried to make light of the situation, hoping Scootaloo would laugh. She was relieved when she saw her little orange friend's face lite up with joy.

"Does this mean you're gonna join my herd?!" she asked excitedly. It was exactly what she had been hoping for all day and her wings were buzzing from the excitement of it.

Dash took a step back and looked uncomfortable. "Ehh... That wasn't what I had in mind." she stammered back.

Scootaloo's face fell, her ears flattening and her eyes became large and round. "But... aren't you my friend?"

Rainbow Dash softened. "Of course I am, squirt. And I don't need any magic to love you. Besides, your herd is already set in stone... but I may borrow him from time to time, ya know... to take care of things!" she winked.

Scootaloo didn't feel anything except a sense of acceptance at Dash's statement. It was exactly as Luna had predicted. Mason might be needed by all of her friends, and if Dash was the first one outside of the trio of her herd to be with him then she couldn't think of a better pony.