Author's Note

This chapter will most likely be my longest chapter, focusing on a love square (4 ponies involved) and include two unexpected ponies to solve an issue!

Chapter 6: A Tripple Princess Problem

With Rainbow Dash by his side throughout the night, Drew slept soundly. He hadn't slept this well since his parents were still alive. He woke up to the Rainbow Beauty snuggled up firmly against him and smiled.

"She didn't leave.." Drew thought to himself and was rather happy about that. He stroked her rainbow mane a few times as she moaned awake with a smile and blush. "Good morning!" Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

"Good morning beautiful!" Drew said with a heart warming smile. As Rainbow Dash got up, she stretched and yawned loudly. This made Drew chuckle. "Sleep well?" Drew asked as he sat up, his back popping as he did so.

"Yep!" Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk. Drew nodded and went to kiss her forehead. "Want me to walk you home before I continue my job hunt? Critter wrangling for Applejack only paid just enough for another months rent, but I still need a more stable job." Drew said as Rainbow blushed at the forehead kiss and nodded. "Sure! I can probably help with a job too! I know a few ponies." She stated.

Drew nodded and smiled widely at this. "That would be really helpful!" He exclaimed, practically beaming. He began to walk once Rainbow Dash showed she was ready to leave, and they headed back into town.

After he dropped Rainbow Dash off at her house, he went to his own to finally check the package Derpy delivered some time ago, having forgotten about it.

He went inside and took the package, carefully opening it, and his jaw dropped at what he saw in it.

Inside was a box filled with bits, and a note. He went to read the note first. The note read. "From Prince Shining Armor, To Drew The Courageous. For your courage and dedication to the Equestrian Armed Forces, I gift you six thousand bits, two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala and one royal favor. You have gone above and beyond the call of duty time and time again during the Changeling War, and have earned my thanks. While under your command, not one of your platoon mates perished, your leadership in the heat of battle is unparalleled. We owe you much!" And Drew smiled widely.

Things were finally looking up for Drew. This was a complete surprise for him, so much so he started yelling in happiness. He already knew exactly what his royal favor would be too.

Just then, he heard a knocking on his door and went to answer it, surprised by who he saw was at his door. It was Rainbow Dash. He blinked, having not told her where he lived yet. "How did you find my house?" He asked, tilting his head. "I ran into Derpy when I left my house to get breakfast, and asked her. What was the yelling for?"

Drew chuckled lightly. "A few days ago, Derpy delivered me a package, and I just remembered I had it, you'll never believe what was inside!!" He said excitedly. Rainbow Dash perked a brow at him. "Six thousand bits, two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala, and Prince Shining Armor saying I've earned one royal favor for my outstanding performance in the Equestrian Armed Forces!!" Drew was beaming now. "I can finally get my little brother back!!"

Rainbow Dash smirked. "That's awesome news Drew!! I'm so happy for you!!!" Rainbow Dash said and leaned in, giving him a quick peck to his lips. Drew smiled into the kiss and pulled her close.

After a long kiss, they pulled from each other and Drew beamed even brighter. "I will still need that help with the job though." He said and Rainbow Dash nodded. "I'll go talk to Highly Sorted, the head Mail pony." Rainbow Dash said and smiled at Drew.

He smiled right back at her and watched her zip away. He went back inside and began to write a reply to Prince Shining Armor. It read. "To Prince Shining Armor, From Drew The Courageous. Thank you very much for the gifts former captain and now Prince Shining Armor, my deepest apologies for the late reply. These past few days in Ponyville have been hectic for me. The third day here, I was landed in the hospital for a week from a fall in the Everfree Forest. These gifts couldn't have come at a more perfect time too. I need to choose between the two options I have for the favor. Option one, grant me permanent property without taxation here in Ponyville. Option two would be to get custody of my little brother Pitter Patter if I fail to get custody through legal means. The citazens of Ponyville seem to have taken to me nicely thus far. Enough about me though old friend,how are you and your wife....I do believe her name was Cadence? Don't you have a daughter now too? Well, I await your reply. I must go now to check on a job lead my newest Mare friend has given me. Have a nice and peaceful day!"

With that final line, Drew slipped the letter into an envelope and sealed it. He then left his home and began to head to the post office where Rainbow Dash stated she was going earlier.

Once at the post office, he saw Rainbow Dash exiting, a smile on her face. "Hello dear, I imagine that your smile means the talk went well?" Drew asked and Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yep, you start tomorrow afternoon! A short route to get you more familiar with Ponyville, and if you do well, a longer route will be granted!"

Drew beamed even more and hugged Rainbow Dash instantly. She blushed and hugged him back tightly. "Thank you Rainbow Dash!!" He said happily. "You can call me Dashie hun." Rainbow Dash said with a smirk. Drew nodded and leaned in, giving his mare friend a kiss. Rainbow Dash melted into the kiss and pulled back with a gasping smile, and deep crimson cheeks. This made Drew smile sweetly at her.

He nodded and placed a hoof on her crimson cheek. "You're so cute when you blush Dashie!" Drew said teasingly, and Rainbow Dash blushed more, looking away and cleared her throat. "Oh come on, I am not!" She said, showing a bit of embarrassment. Drew chuckled and nods.

Neither Drew nor Rainbow Dash noticed they were spotted by not only Applejack but Rarity too. Rarity was first to approach the couple. "Rainbow Dash! How dare you come by and scoop up my catch! I met him first!" Rarity said, anger aparent in her voice.

Drew and Rainbow Dash blinked, confused.

Applejack approached next. "Rarity has a point, I had my eye on him too!! How dare you!"

Rarity gave Rainbow Dash a glare and huffed. "I never want to see you again!! Don't you ever show your face at Carousel Boutique again!" Rarity said and ran off crying.

Applejack looked disappointed and sighed, also crying. "Or at Sweet Apple Acres!!" Applejack said with obvious hurt in her tone before running back home.

Rainbow Dash blinked, unsure what she did wrong. She was fighting back her own tears and flew away, needing to be alone right now.

Drew was suddenly alone, not knowing what had just happened. Had he been unknowingly leading Rarity and Applejack on? He sighed and pounded the ground hard once. "What the fuck just happened here?!' He cursed out loud.

(At Twilight's castle)

Twilight Sparkle blinks as her cutiemark suddenly began to blink, and rushed to the map table in the throne room. Her eyes widen to untold proportions when she saw not only her own cutiemark hovering over Ponyville but two VERY familiar others. It was the cutiemarks of herself, Princess Cadence and Princess Celestia!! She yelled for Spike frantically. "SPIKE!!! GET IN HERE NOW!! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!!"

Spike rushed in, panting. "What's wrong Twilight?!"

Twilight looked nervously to Spike. "Write a letter to Princess Celestia immediately!" She said, and Spike gulped but nodded, getting a scroll and quill.

"Dear Princess Celestia, apologies for the frantic letter, but it appears there is a problem in Ponyville that requires your presence. I must speak with you immediately. Alert Princess Cadence aswell." Twilight said. "Send it!" Twilight said with a scared tone and Spike wasted no time.

Within moments after the green puff of smoke left the room, Princess Celestia teleported into Twilights throne room, followed closely after by Princess Cadence. Both of their cutiemarks glowing.

"What is wrong Twilight?" Princess Celestia asked first. "Yes, and why are our cutiemarks glowing like this?" Asked Princess Cadence.

"Welcome Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence. It seems the map has called upon us three to solve a friendship problem here in Ponyville....this has never happened before." Twilight said, obviously very concerned.

"What friendship problem could be so severe that it requires the attention of three princesses?!" Princess Celestia asked.

"I don't know Princess Celestia, but this is very unnerving. The map has never done this before." Twilight Sparkle said.

(Back at the post office)

Drew sighed and decided to head back home to do some thinking. He was unsure what to do right this moment

Rainbow Dash was up in a cloud, crying to herself. She felt all of this was directly her fault, but she just couldn't leave Drew for her friends either. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Rarity ran home and cried in her shower. This left Sweetie Belle confused. Sweetie Belle tried to talk to her big sister about what was wrong but Rarity just ignored her.

Applejack arrived home and went straight into the barn. She had run right past Applebloom and Big Macintosh and started crying to herself quietly. "Stupid Applejack....of course he wouldn't be into you...." Applejack said to herself. Big Macintosh came in to check on her. "You alright sis?" Big Mac said from the door. He was promptly met with a bucket to his face, which went around his head. He huffed and left her alone to give her her space.

Twilight, Cadence and Celestia each split up to try and find the problem. With Twilight's advice, they each took one third of Ponyville in a pie chart pattern.

Drew left his house to head to the market, feeling hungry as he looked like someone had just killed some pony close to him.

Twilight was first to find some pony, walking over to Drew after seeing the look on his face. "Hello. My name is Twilight Sparkle, are you having a friendship problem?" The purple Alicorn asked.

Drew blinked at Twilight, noticing she was an Alicorn, and gave a bow. "Greetings Princess. My name's Drew, but I'm afraid I don't entirely know. I kissed my mare friend and I guess her friends saw it, and got jealous or something. I think they liked me, and got upset when they saw me with her..." Drew explained.

"Ah, I see, and who are the others involved?" Twilight asked.

"Their names are Applejack and Rarity." He said, sighing. Twilight gasped and thinks.

"Ok, and who is your mare friend?" Twilight asked, wanting to understand the situation fully before proceeding.

"Her name is Rainbow Dash." He said with a smile, and Twilight's jaw dropped. She began to think at high speed, wondering how all of this happened without her knowledge.

"Hmm, ok. And where did she go?" Twilight asked, thinking it would be a good idea to talk to Drew and Rainbow Dash together first. "I'm not sure, she got very upset and flew off when Rarity and Applejack got angry at her and told her they never wanted to see her again..." Drew said with a sigh.

Twilight sighed. "That's not good. I think I know where she went though. Stay here please." Twilight explained and took to the sky.

(At Sweet Apple Acres)

Princess Celestia located heartache with her Alicorn Empathy and arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, knocking on the barn door. "Go away...." Applejack said between sobs, thinking it was Big Macintosh again. "May I come in Applejack?" Princess Celestia asked, and Applejack froze, rushing to the door.

"Princess Celestia?! Of course!" She said abd swiped her tears away, bowing to the Alicorn.

Princess Celestia walked in, sitting next to Applejack and rubbed her back lightly. "What seems to be causing you heartbreak my little pony?" Princess Celestia asked with concern in her tone.

Applejack sniffled and stood. "Rainbow Dash stole the ONE stallion I fell for...the ONE stallion who caught my eye..now I'll never get to be with him.." she said, trying not to cry more.

Princess Celestia nodded and pats Applejack's head, pulling her chin up to look up at her. "You can't always get the things you want my little pony. I know it hurts, but you must accept it and move on. There are plenty of stallions out there, I know you will find another who will like you back." She said to Applejack, trying to lift her spirit.

(At Carousel Boutique)

Princess Cadence heard loud crying and sobbing coming from Carousel Boutique, and landed outside, knocking loudly before entering. "Rarity, what's wrong?!" Princess Cadence asked, genuine concern in her voice.

"Rainbow Dash betrayed me! She swooped in and scooped up the stallion of my dreams. Now I'll never get married to the stallion of my dreams..." Rarity said dramatically.

Princess Cadence manifested two spoons and two tubs of chocolate ice cream, passing one of each to Rarity.

"Matters of the heart are in my ball park, but you must accept it and move on. I know there's a stallion out there who will return your feelings!" Princess Cadence said with a slight smile.

Rarity sighed, having started eating. "I suppose you're right Princess, but it still hurts..."

"I know it hurts Rarity, but if he doesn't return your feelings for him, then there's nothing you can do about it aside from move on and try to find some pony else." Princess Cadence said with a nod. "Come on then, let's head over to Twilight's castle and wait for the others so we can talk this out. You need closure."

"I suppose you're right Princess, let me fix my make up first though." Rarity said with a sigh.

(In the sky above Ponyville)

Twilight found Rainbow Dash crying on a high up cloud, and landed next to her. She gave Rainbow Dash a hug and smiled warmly. "Wanna tell me what happened in your own words?"

Rainbow Dash sighed, wiping her tears away and seemed a bit sad. "Rarity and Applejack hate me now....all because I'm with the stallion they like....not MY fault he likes me back.." Rainbow Dash said with tears trying to continue to escape her eyes.

Twilight nodded and pointed down. "Then let's go down and get Drew so we cab head to my castle and wait for the others so we can talk this out. Ok?" Twilight asked with a smile and Rainbow Dash nodded. The two flew back down to Drew and filled him in on the plan, and the trio went back to Twilight's castle.

(Back at Sweet Apple Acres)

"Come now my little pony, I think we should head over to Twilight's castle and wait for the others so we can talk this out and get you closure. Alright?" Princess Celestia asked with a smile and nod, and Applejack nodded, getting up to follow Princess Celestia.

(At Twilight's castle.)

Twilight, Drew, and Rainbow Dash were first to arrive, and they each sat in Twilight's study. Twilight had given Spike instructions to bring Celestia and Cadence to her study when they arrived, knowing the other princesses would have the same idea to bring the issue to her castle.

A few minutes passed and Princess Cadence and Rarity arrived, being told to meet with the other three in Twilight's study to wait. A few more minutes passed before Celestia and Applejack arrived and met up with the others aswell.

Rainbow Dash was first to speak up. "Hey there girls. I wanted to say that I'm sorry that I ended up hurting your feelings, but you didn't give me the chance to speak before."

Drew was next. "Ladies, I'm sorry too, but I didn't think you would feel like this towards me. I'm flattered you each like me, but I don't feel the sane way about each of you. I do however return Dashie's feelings."

Rarity was next up to speak. She cleared her throat and began to talk. "Drew, when you saved me from those four horrible stallions that night, I fell for you, fooling myself to believe you did it because you liked me...and Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry for what I said...I was speaking out of hurt, and it wasn't right of me..."

With Rarity's turn concluded, Applejack was next. "Sugar, I care about you an awful lot. It hurts that you don't feel the same, but I accept it. You're everything I wanted in a stallion, and if you make Rainbow Dash happy, then good. But Rainbow Dash, keep this in mind, if you EVER cut him loose, I'll be all over him like flies on pig shit!" Applejack said honestly.

Rainbow Dash nodded and the three mares hugged each other, smiling. "I'm glad everything ended up alright!" Twilight said.

Twilight nodded and smiled as hers, Celestia's and Cadence's cutiemarks pulsed, signaling they had done what the map required of them.

(To be continued)