August 20th (That night)

Rainbow Dash sank into the bubbling waters of the jacuzzi, feeling her muscles loosen. Despite her physical comfort, her mind was a whirlwind of indecision and worry. As Twilight sat at the edge of the pool, a frown pulled at her lips.

Twilight edged into the tub. “Is everything alright, Rainbow?”

Rainbow didn’t respond. Her mind was preoccupied with trying to get rid of Spitfire’s bothersome words. She simply sank lower into the waters.

Frowning, Twilight spread her wing under the bath. Rainbow found herself pushed forward and then unceremoniously hugged to Twilight’s side. “You’ve been withdrawn since the after party. C’mon, tell me what’s bothering you. Maybe I can help?”

Elevating her head to look at Twilight, Dash tried to put on her best poker face. “I’m fine. Just thinking.” She leaned against the walls of the tub and sighed, jerking her head back to stare at the ceiling.

Twilight sighed, glancing around the private bath of her hotel room. Everypony else was still out and about, enjoying the sights of late night Las Pegasus, but she had brought Rainbow Dash back with her early. She watched Rainbow stare at the ceiling and chewed her lip in thought. A mischievous smile spread across her face.

Rainbow started when Twilight nuzzled her neck with aggression. “If we fool around first, will you tell me what’s bothering you?”

As much as Dash appreciated Twilight’s advances, it wasn’t going to cut it. Dash sighed as she stood up and stepped out of the tub. While she toweled off, she grumbled something about going out to the balcony. Saying nothing else, she tossed the towel into the corner and trotted out, leaving Twilight by herself.

Grumbling and rubbing her forehead, Twilight climbed out of the jacuzzi. “That mare, honestly…” She floated a towel over herself, muttering, “Why do I surround myself with the most stubborn ponies on the planet?” She set the towel back on the rack, levitated Rainbow’s towel next to it, and left the room. “Good thing I’m stubborn, too.”

Twilight opened the balcony door and watched Rainbow stare off the side of the railing. Her marefriend’s shoulders were slumped and her head bowed, and Twilight’s annoyance evaporated. Sighing again, she stepped slowly to the railing and leaned against it, staring off at the glittering city, giving Rainbow all the time she needed to be silent.

For a while, the only sounds that could be heard were the light breeze and the rumbling of the city below them. Eventually, Rainbow broke the silence. “You know, I haven’t really had the chance to strike it rich in this town.” Her voice was rather subdued, almost as if she didn’t mean to say it out loud.

Twilight glanced sidelong at Rainbow and smirked. “Well, the summer isn’t over yet.”

Rainbow sighed. “Yeah. There’s time for that. There’s time for a lotta stuff, I guess.”

Twilight looked back out over the city and muttered almost under her breath, “I know I struck it rich here.”

Rainbow couldn’t help but snort. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess you—” Rainbow stopped herself and looked to Twilight with a small smile “—we did.”

Twilight returned the smile and slid along the railing, pressing her side into Rainbow’s. “See? You did strike it rich in Las Pegasus.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, because that’s what I wanted. Two mares to nag at me full-time. That’s what I really wanted from this city, not bags of cash or anything like that, no no no.”

Giggling brightly, Twilight shoved against Rainbow’s shoulder. “Beggars can’t be choosers?”

Rainbow smirked. “Well that only works if you’re a beggar, doesn’t it? And Rainbow Dash is no beggar!”

Twilight grinned. “No, ‘Rainbow Dash’ isn’t.” Her smile fell a little and she prodded Rainbow’s shoulder. “But she is upset about something, and isn’t telling her nice marefriend, Twilight Sparkle, what’s wrong, so Twilight has no idea how to help.”

Rainbow tapped the railing, trying to get her brain going. Did she tell her? Did she tell her everything was fine? Finally, Dash resolved to turn her brain off and do what came naturally. As a result, she spouted, “Spitfire walked up to me at that party.”

Twilight’s brow knit in confusion. “And... how did that go?”

Rainbow sunk until her chin was leaning against the railing and she kneeled to the floor of the balcony. “She, uh... kinda grilled me about not accepting the invitation.”

Twilight’s eyes widened in understanding. “...Ah.” She chewed her lip again and looked back over the cityscape. “I take it she wasn’t the most understanding about it?”

“She was just kinda confused, I guess. I mean, I told her that a lot of stuff happened to me, but she didn’t seem to get it. Has what I’ve been doing not made any sense or something?” Rainbow turned her head and gave Twilight a worried and saddened expression.

Twilight frowned thoughtfully at Rainbow. After a moment, she crouched down next to her marefriend. “A lot of things happened all at once for you—for us, really, Applejack included—and not everypony was really there for it. I know I had quite a job talking it out with everypony in Neighagra Falls, and they all saw me at my low point before I came out here the first time. It’s not the easiest thing to explain to anypony.”

Rainbow inhaled and took a deep breath. She looked out again to the city and whispered, “When I told AJ... that the Wonderbolts would never let me in—this was after all this crap went down with those drunken letters—I was feeling just really down those few days. I basically told her to fuck off the day before, but she still wrote back to me, saying she was sorry. I just felt low about myself; like all I did was fuck up and ruin everything... and I felt like, you two... were the only part of my life that seemed to have its shit together. Things were going pretty good at work too, so, I guess I just... latched onto the idea that the Wonderbolts weren’t meant for me... and all of this went down in three days. It all happened so fast, and I...”

Rainbow trailed off, not looking at Twilight and staring vacantly into the city. She was breathing rather heavily.

Twilight turned to face the balcony again and spread a wing across Rainbow’s back. The silent moments stretched out before she finally broke the stillness. “Rainbow...what do you want to do? Not what the Wonderbolts want from you, not what you think you should be doing, what do you want to be doing?”

Rainbow sighed heavily. “...I don’t know.” She looked to Twilight. “What do you want to do... with me and Applejack?”

Twilight smiled wryly. “I want to have fun with you. I want to laugh, and go on picnics, sit around reading, watch movies, talk, or just do nothing. I want to be there for you when you need me, for whatever you need me there for. And I want you both to be happy. That’s what I want.”

Without saying anything, Rainbow Dash stood, wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s back, and kissed her deeply. Just as Twilight got over the shock and started reciprocating, Rainbow departed from the kiss.

Giggling slightly and sighing as she turned and leaned back against the railing, she looked to Twilight, now more serious. “I’m not really sure what I want to do. I know the Wonderbolts aren’t happening, because when you reject them... that’s it. But, I think that with you and AJ,” Rainbow finally smiled wide and with sincerity. “I think I’ll be okay.”

Twilight returned the smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “If what you really want is the Wonderbolts, you should still go for them. Yes, you rejected them, but there really was a lot happening at the time, and they might reconsider if given a, uh...well, perhaps not detailed account—” her cheeks darkened “—but an explanation. If that’s what you want, I’ll help you. And I’m not saying that as a princess.” She pressed into Rainbow’s side and hugged her around the waist. “I’m saying that as your marefriend, and the partial cause of everything that happened. I don’t know that it’ll change anything, but if it’s what you want, it’s worth trying.”

Rainbow grinned. “What, are you kidding? Please, I’ve learned something else tonight. Spitfire is totally stuck up!” Rainbow separated herself from Twilight and took a prominent stance. “You should have seen her when I told her ‘no’ to the Wonderbolts.”

Dash puffed her chest and force a few coughs to make her voice even raspier. Grinning, she shouted, “What? You DARE reject ME? A pox on your house, knave!”

Twilight snorted loudly and clapped a hoof over her face. “She did not, she couldn’t have!”

Rainbow giggled. “Okay, I threw in all those nerd words, but still. She couldn’t understand the fact that I said no. And you know what? Fine. Let her be that way. All I know is, I’d rather spend my time doing whatever I wanted with the two most awesome mares in Equestria than have to take orders from somepony entitled like that.”

Rainbow beamed and trotted triumphantly to Twilight, wrapped her foreleg around her shoulder, and pointed out to the glimmering Las Pegasus skyline. “With you and AJ, I’m taking on this world, I don’t need a uniform to do that!”

Grinning and nuzzling into Rainbow’s neck, Twilight said, “Sounds like a plan.” A silent moment passed and she frowned. “...Do you still want the flight school?”

Rainbow kissed Twilight’s forehead. “Celestia said she’d help us every step of the way. I’d say it’s not going to get better than that. Besides, despite all the little stuff that happens, I like seeing kids celebrating their own little victories. You should see them when they start to get a little cocky, too. It does an old heart good.” Rainbow chuckled at herself.

Twilight inhaled deeply with a grin on her muzzle. “It still sounds wonderful to me, teaching ponies...I, uh, probably got a bit caught up in that idea when you first told me, just because it sounded so nice to me, but if you’re going to be happy doing it, that’s all I want to see.” She turned to Rainbow and studied her marefriend’s face. “...There’s that smile I told you about.” She leaned forward and pecked Rainbow on the lips. “I love that smile.”

Rainbow returned the kiss and absentmindedly quipped, “I love you.”

Dash jumped back as the words left her mouth. After a moment of silence, she laughed and smiled. “Holy crap, I actually said it. Weird.”

Twilight blinked in surprise, her cheeks coloring. She cleared her throat and looked away. “Did... did you mean it?”

Rainbow walked over and hugged Twilight around the neck. As she kissed her cheek, she trailed up to Twilight’s ear and whispered, “Totally.”

Twilight closed her eyes and nestled into Rainbow’s neck. “I think I love you, too.” She hugged Rainbow fiercely. “...So why do I feel the same for Applejack? Is... is this normal?” She scrunched her shut eyes tighter and sighed. “What’s happening with us?”

Rainbow laughed. “I have no idea,” She kissed Twilight’s ear. “But I like it. I love you, and I love AJ, too. That’s pretty tight, if you ask me.”

Taking a deep breath, Twilight smiled and nodded against Rainbow. “It is.”

Rainbow sighed contentedly. “Awesome.”

A long, serene silence was shared before Twilight was ultimately shocked by a strong, sharp smack to the flank. Dumbfounded as she let out a squeak, she looked to see that Rainbow was now standing in the open doorway.

“Now, come on, Princess! I saw what AJ did with your wings, and I’ll have what she’s having!”

Twilight gaped for a moment before smiling, her cheeks feeling warm. “Back in the jacuzzi?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Well, shit, I was just gonna say let’s go to bed, but I like the way your mind works, Twi!” Rainbow dashed over to Twilight and wrapped her forelegs around her neck, muzzles pressed together. She whispered, “Your awesome, dirty little mind.” Rainbow licked her lips as she gave Twilight a wink before separating from her once again, running off inside to the bathroom.

Twilight quickly joined her.

August 21st

Damn... it was late!

Rainbow Dash woke up underneath Twilight, who was nestled up under her chin. In a panicked state, she realized that it was Wednesday, which meant she had to get to work.

With haste, she shoved Twilight off of her, sending her rolling to the edge of the bed. Dash reached for the alarm clock and saw that she had ten minutes to get to work.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Rainbow muttered to herself as she realized she didn’t have time to say goodbye to Twilight, so instead, she ran over a desk that appeared to have a stationery, and scribbled something down. Don’t these things usually have like a letterhead or something?

Either way, she drafted her note quickly and darted out the balcony. No time for a shower. Good old rainclouds will clean off the stank.

With that, Rainbow bolted from the balcony, sending a shockwave that shook the room and knocked Twilight off the bed, waking her up with a loud thump.

Twilight blinked as she tried to figure out where she was, and was taken aback by shouting in the distance.

"Why does this city not have any fucking clouds?!"

August 21st (That afternoon)

Twilight pulled the hard hat off her mane and was immediately set upon by her makeup attendants, straightening her mane and fixing her foundation. She sighed through her snout as they worked and did her best to not seem annoyed, looking around the dull interior room of the Hooveser Dam.

It had the same off-white paint color as the other few dozen rooms she had been led through with the group. The facilities were stark, bare, and clean, with the lemony scent of disinfectant permeating everything. As conceptually interesting as hydroelectricity could be, it was, like so many touring spots on Twilight’s summer vacation, dull and boring. The Hooveser Dam was just like the dam back in Ponyville and she knew that one inside and out after it nearly flooded the town. This one was bigger, though, so that had to count for something.

Her gaze drifted to the others and she watched Celestia, Luna, and Cadence have their appearances tended to. She hoped she carried herself with half the dignity they had, but having a cadre of ponies prodding her in the face with sponges was still disconcerting.

Shining Armor stood off to the side, staring at a control panel that looked like every other panel they had passed that day. She fought the urge to frown as her attendants finished fixing her makeup.

After far too much eyelid poking, she tentatively joined her brother. He looked up at her approach and gave her a weak smile. “Hey, Twily.”

“Hi.” She turned to face the control panel, standing next to him. “...Rainbow Dash is going to be getting out of work soon.”

“Mmn.”

Twilight chewed her lip and looked at her big brother from the corner of her eye. “...You liked her just fine when she was helping with your wedding.”

Shining started and looked at her. He grimaced and turned back to the control panel. “I don’t dislike her, or anything.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Twily…”

“Listen, Shining.” She turned to face him directly, her brow creasing. “I understand you’re just worried. You’re my BBBFF, and I’m your little sister. You don’t want me to get hurt, I get it. But I’m not a little filly anymore.” She stepped forward and hugged Shining around the neck. He stiffened for a second and then hugged her back. “...I really like Rainbow Dash. And Applejack. I’m...I’m falling in love with both of them. I know that’s weird; it’s weird to me, too, but I’m happy. They’re happy.”

“...I know you’re happy, sis. I can see how happy you are.”

She stepped back and gave him a pleading look. “Then what’s going on?”

Shining let out a long breath and turned back to the panel. “There are so many ponies out there that could hurt you, Twily. You’re just so innocent and trusting, and you have two mares after you? And about ‘knowing your sexuality’ for so long...when did it stop just being ‘colts? Eww’? How can I not be worried about you?”

Twilight took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I’ll admit this is all rather new to me, and it wasn’t that long ago that I got over some of my more... naive impulses. But, Shining…” She gripped his shoulder and drew him around to face her. “I’ve been friends with Rainbow Dash and Applejack for a long time now. They’ve been there for me when I’ve needed them—when the whole world needed them, they’ve been by my side. I trust them with my life, and your life, and the lives of everypony important to me. Is it so hard to trust them with not hurting me on purpose?”

A long pause stretched out to almost suffocating. Shining dropped his gaze. “You’re still so young, Twily.”

Twilight looked back at the control panel for a minute before turning to rejoin the princesses as they prepared to leave the facility. “I’m not anymore, Shining. I’m an adult, with my own life, and an entire country that’s counting on me. I stopped being a kid a while ago.” She looked back at him sadly. “...And maybe it’s time for me to just be ‘Twilight’ instead of ‘Twily.’”

As Twilight cantered away, Shining Armor bowed his head. He was last to enter the limo before they headed back to Las Pegasus proper.

August 22nd

“THIS IS THE NIGHT THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF!”

Rainbow Dash tapped her shoulder. “Yo, Princess, it’s one o'clock in the afternoon.”

Luna slammed her mug to the bar and belched in the direction of Twilight and Rainbow Dash, who were sitting beside her. “I care not! T’is night somewhere! That’s the colloqui... colloq... cull... thing you say, no?!”

Rainbow couldn’t help but giggle. “Uh... yeah, if you say so.”

Taking a small sip from her drink and glancing around the rest of the restaurant, which was empty save one rather confused looking bartender, Twilight said, “Colloquialism—”

“SHUT UP!” Luna screamed, her voice echoing through the dive. Luna wiped the beginnings of tears from her bloodshot eyes. She stood from her stool and stumbled over to Twilight, hugging her tightly and crying into her shoulder.

“Forgive me, Twilight Sparkle!” Luna sobbed. “I don’t know why I say things that make you hurt so bad!”

Twilight patted her awkwardly. “I’m fine, don’t worry about it.”

“IT’S NOT FINE!” Luna pushed Twilight, causing her to bump against the bar, eliciting an offended protest from Rainbow Dash. Luna tried to regain balance as she stammered, “I-I... do bad things to y’allz dreams!”

Twilight smoothed her mane back into place and raised an eyebrow. “What about our dreams?”

Luna laughed. “Oh, Twilight Sparkle... they’re AMAZING. Like, like, we used to, Cely and Me, we used to have concubines and pool-colts and we’d make them put on a show for us and stuff. They just weren’t the same compared to what you three were dreaming!” Luna pointed to the two of them with a wobbly hoof. Their expressions were night and day: Rainbow was curious and intrigued, and Twilight was straight-up horrified.

“W-what?” Twilight stammered. “You saw—? Ohh…” She buried her face in her hooves.

Luna laughed darkly. “Oh my, yes. But it wasn’t you first, Twilight Sparkle, no no. The first one was your dear cowpony friend.” Luna hiccuped. “The dirty little filly is a closet exhibitionist, believe it or not. She LOVES being humiliated and being seen as a common whore by everypony.” Luna looked Dash straight in the eye. “You were the one responsible for these urges.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes were unblinkingly wide as she reached for a cocktail napkin and began jotting down notes with a pen she borrowed from the bartender.

Twilight slapped Rainbow’s shoulder, giggling through her embarrassment, “Quit that!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Come on, this is important stuff!”

Luna laughed again. “There is more.” Another hiccup. “F-for you see... you!” Luna pointed straight at Rainbow Dash. “You will fuck anything, it seems. It matters not what lies between the legs of somepony. Anything will do to sate thine carnal thirsts! Even thine boss, be it the name you give the cowpony, or your actual boss!”

It was Rainbow’s turn to blush brightly as she bowed her head in shame.

Twilight tried not to chuckle as she looked at her marefriend.

Luna looked Twilight in the eyes and grinned evilly. “How can we forget you, Princess Twilight Sparkle? You and your desire to be controlled. It’s no wonder you’ve found yourself in a tryst with two powerful mares. You want to be overpowered by them. I could see it in your pleading screams. You want to be owned, to service them in lustful obeisance. I’ve seen it with my own eyes...”

Luna chuckled darkly before stumbling back over to her seat and yelling at the bartender for more grog.

Rainbow looked over to Twilight and put a hoof on her shoulder. Twilight turned and met eyes with her.

Rainbow chuckled as she shrugged. “We really are freaks, huh?”

Twilight snorted, clapped her hooves over her face, and struggled to hold in her giggles. She leaned forward to hug Rainbow as laughter spilled out of her.

Rainbow leaned in and kissed her cheek. She whispered, “I love you, you freak.”

Through her mirth, Twilight choked out, “I love you, too, you freak.” She sat back and wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Well, now that our secrets are all on the table, Princess Luna, tell us about this moose friend of yours.”

Luna snorted as she took a swig from her jug. “That cad?! Gives me the most wild night of my life, and never returns my letters!” Luna’s stern look darted over to the two of them. “Listen well, children. Your average moose may be twice as large as a well-endowed stallion and all the more girthy... but they break your heart.”

Rainbow looked to Twilight with an unsure expression. “Shit, now I just feel bad.”

Twilight frowned and turned back to Luna. “What happened?”

Luna stared vacantly for a while before breaking into uncontrollable laughter, loudly slapping the bar in the process.

Rainbow cocked an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?!”

Luna caught her breath as she wiped a tear from her eye. “Oh, my little ponies, I have a confession to make... I never consorted with a moose.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “W-what? But what about the one who was ‘rugged and furry, with legs that went on for miles, broad chested, and had antlers to write home about’?

Luna nodded. “Yes, that’s true, moose are rather magnificent creatures, indeed.” Yet another hiccup. “You see, Twilight, when you get to live for as long as I have, you learn how to get ahead in tiny parts of life. I knew that if I led you on about fucking a moose, you and your suitor would accompany me to a public house,” Luna waved her arms and pointed about the establishment. “And you would buy me enough drinks under the pretense that I had a wild story to tell you if I was engulfed in enough drunken fumes. So you see, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, thus, I do ever make the fool my purse.” Luna broke into even more laughter.

Twilight blinked slowly as Luna stood from the bar and stumbled out into the midday heat of Las Pegasus, cackling madly as she went. She eventually turned to Rainbow Dash. “...Still worth it?”

Rainbow chuckled as she threw a foreleg around Twilight, pulling her close. “Yeah, I’d say so... especially now that I know about that stuff with AJ!” Rainbow licked her lips and beamed brightly.

The bartender, who had witnessed the entire conversation, cleared his throat. “You ladies want another round, or can I give you the check?”

“Can we find a fool to make our purse first?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight let out a heavy breath and chuckled. “I think I’m done with fools today.” She pulled a bag of coins from her saddlebag to pay the tab. As the bartender left to ring everything up, she leaned over to Rainbow and whispered, “Fooling around on the other hoof…”

Rainbow’s eyes widened as she looked to Twilight. “Hotel room?”

“Jacuzzi.”

Author's Note

Do I need to make the same A/N on all these The Mailbox side stories?

This one's with Jake R again. Having him write Luna was the best idea.