The talk. (Patreon)

Trade Winds directed me to a balcony  in my Equestria dreamscape. This gave us some quiet and some privacy from the bustle going on in the main room of the Lenticular Lounge. From here one could look out over Cloudsdale which was a magical galaxy of twinkling lights floating in nighttime sky.

    For several seconds Dash's mom was silent as she looked out at the nighttime sky. Then she turned her head and looked at me with a very intense stare.

    “Sky Brush. How long has my daughter had a serious interest you? This has caught me and Squall Line  off guard. Not that this is the first time she's hit us broadside with something. However I would like to hear your side of the story.”

    Over the next ten minutes or so with only occasional questions from Dash's mom I told her of my friendship and working relationship with Dash. Of course leaving out certain things concerning of my background that Celestia has instructed me not to discuss with other ponies.

    “I am telling you Trade Winds. This morning before Hurricane's Column is the first time that she's made any blatant public declaration of desiring to be in a serious relationship with me! She's implied and she's hinted a few things, but this is the first time she's been this direct. And she already knows I am in an intimate relationship with Petina and Carousel. I don't know if she plans to try and win me away from them or not; at the moment it is all very confusing and fluid.”

    I then said the one thing that had been worrying me since I'd met RD's parents. “And Trade Winds if I may ask you something; how do you feel about the relationship I have with Petina and Carousel? It is hardly orthodox and some in Ponyville are a bit taken back by it. Although the community in general has been fairly accepting of it? But how do you and Squall Line feel about it?”

    The mare laughed and cocked an eyebrow. “Oh I've known about your merry little herd for awhile. Dash told us about it a while back in a letter. That's why Squall and I were not surprised when she introduced all of you last night at dinner.”

    RD's mom paused for a moment before continuing. “I will admit she's spoken of you in the past but the first serious hint I had that she was really interested in you was when she asked you to be her witness last night.”

    She shrugged her wings and then continued. “But my daughter has always been one to make serious life-changing decisions on short notice. She'd almost finished her packing before she informed us that she was moving off to Ponyville so she could help her friend Fluttershy get settled in. Then we didn't find out she'd passed the REWS exam until we accidentally started get work-related mail for her at our address.”

    “And concerning your households rather unorthodox arrangement I doubt she's mentioned it to you but before Dash was born but after Squall and I were out of college we lived for several years in a household with several other mares and stallions. It was a rather fluid environment and let's just say we rather familiar with almost everypony who lived there, so your charming cottage is not that alien of a concept for my husband and I.”

    Trade Winds stepped forward looked me straight in the eyes. “So that doesn't bother us that much. What does concern my husband and I is the idea of our daughter being emotionally strung along by some ponies we just met last night. I'm a decent judge of character and I've gotten a generally good vibe from you and your friends, but what I want to hear especially from you Sky Brush is this. Are you willing to return my daughter's affection if she offers it to you? Will your household honestly, love, care and accept her if she decides to be a part of it? She's a young mare now and a national hero and she's earned the right to make decisions for herself. However if she's making those decisions based on false or inaccurate information then she could get burned, and neither I or my husband will standby and let that happen. Do you understand?”

    I nodded my head. “I understand Trade Winds and neither Carousel, Petina or I would knowingly mislead your daughter, but my concern is not so much her joining my current household. What I'm worried about is that she's going to try and take me away from two mares that I care very much about. What if Dash isn't in to sharing? What if she wants me and tries to drive a wedge between me and Petina and Carousel? If she does I will tell her no. I won't just drop my household to run off and live in the clouds. However she's my boss that would make my life a nightmare, and Ponyville is a small town. It would be impossible to avoid her even if I quit the REWS. Also several of our friends are her friends to, if this goes bad it will be a disaster!”

    Dash's mom looked back out over Cloudsdale. “If my daughter tried anything like that I would personally kick her in the head! We did not raise our daughter to be a homewrecker. She knows you're already in an relationship and so if she wants to fly close to you she'll have to be willing to share you!”

    Trade Winds smiled at me. “By the way, your last answer is the one that makes me willing to consent to any decision she makes if she decides to join your household or some other equally respectful arrangement. If you had told me you were willing to abandon Petina and Carousel to run off with my daughter I would've had no respect or trust in you. If you were willing to drop them without a reasonable reason then I would have no guarantee that you would not do the same thing to Dash in the future.”

    I decided to ask the last two questions bothering me. “But what if she's not just interested in an intimate relationship? What she wants to marry me? What is she gets in her head to suddenly have foals? Then what? Or what if Petina or Carousel suddenly decide they want to be mommies?”

    Trade Winds smiled again. “I think I understand a little why Dash is attracted to you. You genuinely care about the feelings of the mares in your life. You're not just looking for a one-night stand. You honestly care about those who are your partners. That's an honorable trait you have Brick. Never lose it. And if those question ever came up you will try to find the best solution.”

    “Um, thanks but that's not the answer I was looking for.”

    The mare giggled. “Life is like that Brick. You usually make up the rules as you go along!”

    Trade Winds then cocked her head. “We better head back in before the rest of them start wondering what happened to the two us.”

    Then she turned and trotted back into the club.

To be continued.