Twilight gasped, laughed and stumbled. “Dash!”
Rainbow Dash smirked. “What, you don’t like piggyback rides?”
“Getting them, maybe,” said Twilight, her hands awkwardly grasping at Dash’s legs.
“Hey, I’m not that heavy!”
“Well I’m not that strong!”
Twilight leaned back and dumped Dash off of her. Dash tussled Twilight’s hair playfully. “That’s what you get for being an egghead.”
Dash crouched down, her arms at the ready. “C’mere.”
Twilight looked at her. “Really?”
“Unlike some people, I go to the gym.”
Fluttershy bid goodbye to her coworkers at the pet center, the bell on the door jingling as she left. She took a moment to admire the sun setting in the distance, and the crisp autumn air around her. She liked to stand here sometimes after a good day’s work, just soaking up the sights and sounds, listening to the birds in the trees.
The moment was somewhat interrupted by the high-pitched scream from around the corner.
“AHHHH! Not so fast, Dash!”
“We’re gonna be late for the thing!”
Fluttershy had been shaken for only the briefest of moments. The scream was a happy one, and soon Dash bounded into view with Twilight on her back. Twilight clung on for dear life, which probably only encouraged Dash to go even faster.
Twilight turned her head, revealing a nervous smile. Then she noticed the girl at the door. “Hey, it’s Fluttershy! Dash! Stop, already!”
“Ok, ok.” Dash dropped Twilight behind her. Fluttershy noticed that Twilight did the most gasping, despite having done none of the exercise. Fluttershy approached with a smile.
“You two having fun?” she asked.
Dash ran up and put an arm around her. “You know it! You heading to Rarity’s?”
“Of course!”
The three of them walked down the streets of the quiet town. Twilight put one arm around Fluttershy’s waist, and another around Dash’s.
“You both remembered your pictures, right?”
Fluttershy nodded “Oh, yes. Though it was hard to pick out just one.”
Dash laughed. “Tell me about it! I thought I should just let Twi pick one out for me.”
Twilight turned. “Which would defeat-”
“-the whole purpose, I know, I know. But yeah, I got it with me.”
“I can’t believe it’s been three years.” said Fluttershy softly.
Twilight pulled her in a little closer “Three wonderful years.”
Dash rang the doorbell at Rarity’s condo, and a moment later the door flew open as if a bomb had gone off.
“SURPRISE!” yelled Pinkie Pie. She bounded through the door and hugged each of them in turn.
Rarity called after her from further down the hall. “It’s not a surprise, Pinkie.”
“Oh I know but I just really wanted to say ‘SURPRISE!’ And if you think about it is a surprise because this is your place but I answered the door!”
Twilight smiled, detaching herself from the all-consuming hug. “We knew you were coming, Pinkie.”
“But you didn’t know I’d be here first!”
“You’re always here first” said Dash, brushing past her to hug Rarity.
“But you didn’t know that I would answer the door!”
“You always answer the door” said Flutershy sheepishly. “But, uh…it’s nice. You give the best hugs.”
Pinkie swept Fluttershy into her arms again. “SURPRISE!”
“It’s not a…oh, nevermind” said Fluttershy. She buried her head into Pinkie’s shoulder and enjoyed the feeling for a while.
The interior of Rarity’s condo was normally tasteful and elegant, but all that was now buried beneath a sea of balloons and streamers, with a small pyramid of cupcakes perched on the coffee table next to an assortment of drinks. The newcomers took seats on one of the couches while Pinkie Pie took a tray of cookies from the oven.
“Has anyone heard from AJ?” said Twi, looking around the room.
Rarity scrolled through her phone. “She texted me a moment ago, I think it was-”
“SURPRISE!” yelled Pinkie, bounding through the still-open front door and into the arms of the farmgirl who’d just arrived.
Rarity took a sip from her drink. “She’s here.”
Applejack laughed as Pinkie practically carried her through the door. “Alright, Sugarcube! Alright, already!”
Pinkie Pie pecked her on the neck. “First kiss!”
“Pinkie,” Rarity interrupted, “don’t you want to bring out the board?”
“Oh! Right!” She dashed to another room as Applejack took a seat next to Fluttershy, who embraced her and inhaled deeply. She loved the smell of horses.
Pinkie returned with a large board, perhaps five feet across. She placed it along the wall for everyone to admire, and they all turned to look.
The surface, which had once been white, had long been entirely overwritten with color. There were stickers and streamers and bright lines of glitter. There were doodles in crayon and marker, googly eyes and bits of hay secured with scotch tape. And there were pictures.
Along the top, in the boldest and brightest letters possible, were the words “OUR RELATIONSHIP”
There was a row of pictures for their first anniversary together. Dash celebrating after a soccer game. Applejack hauling hay on the farm. Fluttershy with her pet bunnies. Twilight giving her dissertation. Rarity at her boutique. Pinkie Pie at a baking contest.
Beneath that was a row for the second anniversary. Pinkie Pie catering a wedding. Rarity posing like a movie star. Fluttershy in the national park they’d visited. Twilight with her grant certificate. Applejack at Apple Bloom’s graduation. Dash pumping weights at the gym, smirking for the camera.
Each picture focused on one girl, but in no picture was anyone alone.
There were always girlfriends at her side. Someone always had an arm around a shoulder, or around a waist. Someone was always cheering or smiling. AJ spotted Dash on weights. Fluttershy leaned in to get an autograph from “movie star” Rarity. There was always someone. Always.
Gazing at the photographs, Twilight felt a tear roll down her cheek. She struggled to get the words out. “I’m really, really glad they invented polyamory.”
Pinkie gave her a hug from one side while Rarity leaned in from the other side for a gentle kiss. Her lips were as warm and welcoming as ever, and Twilight reciprocated gladly.
“As am I”, whispered Rarity.
Pinkie Pie jumped to her feat! “HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY, EVERYONE! YOU’RE ALL THE BEST GIRLFRIENDS ANYONE COULD EVER ASK FOR!”
They laughed and rose to hug her and each other, the hugs soon giving way to kisses.
Then, each of the assembled girlfriends reached into purses and pockets and bookbags for a new picture to add to the Memory Board, and in their hearts they felt this would always be.
Inside, they were all aglow. No one would ever be lonely. Never again.
Author's Note
To the lonely: I see you, and I hope you find your people soon.
(In a better world, we would have found them already...)
