Author's Notes:

Heyho Everyone, sorry for such a long wait to the next chapter but at last it is here!

with me working five days a week, eight hours a day, and what little time I do have, I game a lot now, but will try and work on chapters when I can!

This seemed a bit short of a chapter but that was because I did indeed try to draw it out as much as I could , and rereading old chapters I realized, I have a lot of unfinished questions that need to be answered...to which what the next chapter will touch on as well. as well as i'm still looking for a editor, don't say that you will be on in the comment section, simply PM me.

And please...all I ask if you want to commit to being a editor, don't that that you will and I don't hear back from you at all...that has happened a few times already.

Also with me gaming now however, I have been working on a YouTube gaming thingy, check it out will ya? a few views and maybe subs will make me one happy little brony! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXtwPO8wEfb0UtL1BAp2Mag

I woke up the next morning, in a slight daze. Doesn't really surprised me after just having a threesome with both my current mare-friend, and ex...even more so that Chrysalis, was well...Chrysalis. I couldn't think much of last night, for reason that are well known, and all that could bring into my mind was simply...what the hell happened.

Lyra was gone from the bed, but the smell of food being cooked was in the air, Chrysalis, snoring softly beside me, her tongue hanging out that made her look cute, and silly. Heading to the bathroom for a quick shower, and dressing in boxers and pants, I made my way downstairs...I needed answers, and hopefully, I would get them.

What happened last night, shouldn't had happen until I got what I wanted, answers, what the hell was with those two, Lyra didn't look to be under any sort of control...and it pained me to even think that the Changeling Queen would do that, but...why...how...? Silver was still sleeping, after checking to make sure he truly was, opening the door slightly to see him snoozing away, he must've truly been tired and I really hope we didn't wake him last night.

Heading now downstairs toward the kitchen, I heard the soft humming of Lyra, a tune she always hummed when she made food, it brought me back when we were dating. Using her magic, she filled plates with food, before turning back and saw me. "Morning," she said with a soft smile, before it fell as I didn't return the smile. "Something wrong?"

"Lyra...about last night..."

"Ah that..." she said as she sighed placing the food in the over and keeping at a low heat. "You have some questions huh?"

"Some...putting it lightly. I mean...how...when did..."

"Sit..." she offered to the chairs as I went over and sat down, she sat down as well, in her trademark human way. "You're confused I get it, I mean...not every day one has a threesome out of the blue...even more so when one's a...Changeling." I saw her look away before then she asked me. "Do you trust her?"

"Huh?"

"Chrysalis...do you really thinks she's...good?"

"Yes I do."

"Why?"

"Everyone, no matter their past, should have a second chance, unless they are truly willing, I don't know...I know it sounds strange when I saw that, she no doubt done a lot in her past that would make me...question her."

"So why?"

"Because she trusted me enough to show me who she was."

We were silent for a bit before I then added. "She could've easily controlled me Lyra, we've been together for a while...so why wait you know? Why wait and risk herself if I was just something she was going to throw away." I left out the part where she indeed told me that what is was at first. "She wants to change...and well I want to help her show others she can be good, she can be converted to good."

"Like Discord all over again..."

"Yeah, only this time, no one, or a lot knows who 'Nova Star' really is."

"Hrm..."

"So...when did you...find out."

"When I came to visit that time, to have that, mare talk." I nodded, remembering that. "We've been talking back and forth a lot of the time before the meet, after the time you being in the hospital, by the way, she told me the real reason why you were there the other night...even Princess Luna."

"Luna?"

"I'll get to that in a bit." She answered as I nodded.

"So...where do I start with explaining this..." she thought as she sighed softly, trying to think of a way to start this strange tale. "I guess you could say, to start after the meeting with her. I was confused, shocked and scared to say the least. I was here during the Changeling Invasion, so I knew how well they could change their body, and how they think, I was not scared what would happen to me...but of you and little Silver Arrow." She paused a bit. Before then going on. "She told me how she cared for you, how she valued you more than anything, save for her subjects." Makes sensed, the lives of many, outweigh the life of one. "But I was so scared...so worried that she had you under her control, that...I don't know," she shook her head slightly before going on. "For a good long while I fought to not to go to the Princesses and tell them of her, I was worried she may have spies and I would never see you again. She played with her hooves a bit before going on. "It was only a few days ago, when Princess Luna entered my dreams.

"She told me who she was, and how she trusted you fully, that something happened between you and the princess that made her believe fully that Chrysalis meant no harm. She told me that she would be keeping a close eye on her, and I guess me agreeing to come here was part of me making sure you were alright...when she offered well...last night, I guess well...You could say I wanted one last night before asking you of this."

"And what's that?" I asked, as I gazed at her as she looked back up toward me, before saying.

"Chrysalis...wants to start a herd, with you, and myself."

I blinked once, twice, three times...a herd, I knew of the basic ideas of herds and what they meant, Rarity mostly, gossips; telling me stories of how herding worked. In a matter of speaking, we were not truly a herd until we were...well married, there had to be a married couple and then others added in. From what I understood, Chrysalis would be considered the Alpha female of the group and such, seeing how she was the first before this all started. And before another member could join, said new member would have to date all others parties, Rarity placed heavy words on that you should never be in a herd if the other members hates the other.

The term I would use for this...I guess would be a Polyamory perhaps? I knew that The word polyamory is based on the Greek and Latin for “many loves” don’t ask how I know of this…I was bored one day and well, I was looking up gaming videos and soon I came across a video about this sort of stuff…internet is a weird place indeed. Before hand, I would've never thought of doing something like this, I always believed in one on one relationships, but I knew this was a common, well not as common anymore, way in Equestria; seeing how the male/female count was so low. But…could I do something such as this, could I be in a healthy relationship with two mares? "Brandon?" I felt her hoof on my hand as I looked up at her and said. "I remembered you always told me, if someone was at least trying to change, give them a chance. Me coming last night, was me giving her that chance, and…and I want this to work, I want to be your mare friend again. I trust your judgment on her; so I'm more the willing to give this a chance."

I leaned back in my chair as I closed my eyes, thinking deeply on this, my hand pressing along my eyes, as if to rub away a tiredness that came from listening to all of this, how would this work? Would they each take three days with me, and one day of me just chilling, how would this all work. One part of me was screaming, 'do it, do it man, come on this is a second chance with Lyra, and still being with Chrysalis!' But another part of me, was like, 'However is it right, this can be ether good…or very bad, are you willing to take such a risk?' "How…would this work out?" I asked slowly, as if I was choosing my words carefully. "I mean…you live in Ponyville with Bon Bon, I mean, I come down a lot and such, but…I mean, how does this all work?"

"I'm sure when, Chrysalis wakes up, we can talk about all this, we haven't officially made the Herd, until both of you decided that this is good."

"And you're okay…with dating a mare?"

"Did my face under her tail mean nothing?" my face blushed up rather quickly as she only giggled softly. "Can't believe she green back…"

"MOVING ON!"

After sitting down with both mares know, I was given a bit more of a lesson on the art of…Herds. It seemed either way, the information I got was a tiny bit wrong, that ether way we were still a herd, just that there were two types of herds.

The type we were right now, would be that Chrysalis, who was now in her true Changeling form, would be known as Lead Mare, not really sure what that would be per say, but my guess would be that she was the alpha female of the group, pretty much in a way, if Changeling even had heats, she had first dips to get her settled in before any of the others. And if we were to be married, whoever was married first, would be known as The First Wife.

Soaking all of these information that they spoke to me about, in the span of a morning meal, only stopping when Silver came, before he was ushered off to school with the bat pony Shade, who I swear I really need to ask her, what's her and Chrysalis story. They told me more, that if say a third mare, (or stallion seeing how I dated a dude once before, which they both knew and seemed to love the idea of me being taken…which would never happen). If Lyra was accepted into this Herd, then this new member if we ever decided to expand, would have to do what we were planning to do now.

"So how will this play out?" I asked as I brought the dishes into the sink, getting the water going to let them soak as I looked back, my mare friend, and ex, soon to be girlfriend as well again…sounds weird when I say it like that huh? "I mean…how long do you think it would take to think if you, Lyra, would be a good fit?"

"A month," Chrysalis spoke leaving both me and Lyra to look at her. "You two already know each other rather well, I know she loves you, but you know Brandon, a Herd, shouldn’t be formed, if someone is in it for just one." She looked to Lyra and then added. "I'm not asking for love like you give him, I know in a span of a month, that can never be able unless I place a love spell over you." Lyra slide away in her chair a bit, as she went on. "A month for us mostly to get to know one another…I believe that is a good enough time, wouldn’t you say?"

"I…supposed that is a good amount of time." She agreed slowly. "Now…are there any dos and don'ts?"

"Well, sex is on the table," again with the freaking sex as common talk, what is it with people here in this world?! "We also agree that ether of us don't try to win him over to leave the other?"

"That understandable." Lyra once more agreed. "And let me guess…no tell anyone who you are?"

"You want there to be a wide spread panic?" this was me chiming in as Lyra shook her head. "How about dates?"

"For me and Lyra," the Changeling queen spoke. "If we have a month, I say…three times a week? Gives us plenty of time to talk things over, get to know one another.

"And me and Brandon?"

"Whenever we aren't."

The unicorn only hummed as she looked away, deep in thought as all of this progressed into her brain, looking over at me for a moment, and then to her, she released a breath I didn’t knew she held; and nodded.

"So let me get this straight?" Silver asked as I was in the bathroom, starting to slightly cut my hair a bit down. A bit, as well as shave myself. "Miss Lyra knows what Chrysalis is?"

"Yup," I answered with a nod.

"And she's…okay with that?"

"Somewhat I think…" I answered truthfully. I had to stop a bit, seeing how I was cleaning myself up, I was going to take Lyra home, spend some time there and then head on back up here. We agreed in a few days we would be going on a date, down in Ponyville. I don’t blame her, up here, the place can be a bit pricey…and well, lots of snob ponies up here as well. Ponyville felt more homey to say the least, and maybe one day, we could move down there…not sure with the Element of Harmony living there however. "This whole Herding thing is new to me…back home if a guy had more than one partner, he was considered a 'dog' or a cheater. And at times having more than one lover, though really not uncommon…it was still not taken with great strides." I then added. "I…care for Lyra a lot, and I know I sound broken when I saw, that if it wasn’t for the fact of my mother, or we breaking up to try and make her happy or…to see if that would work, I'm sure we would've still been together, and I would've never had met Chrysalis."

"But you like her as well right?" he asked as I then went for a razor and started to shave a bit of the stubbles along my cheek, keeping the ones along my mouth, chin, and under my nose. "Like…do you like one more than the other."

"Each has…a trait I like about them." I answered as I cleaned my face and the sink. "Lyra was my first love, my first…real relationship, we have that connection you know, Chrysalis, it's kinda the same thing, we understand each other in a sense. I'm willing to give this a shot…"

"And if it doesn’t work out…?" he trailed off as I only sighed and looked away.

"Then it doesn't…"

"Relationships like that sound hard."

"It can be, be lucky you are still a little colt and don’t have to worry about fillies or colts for a few years."

"No way!" he exclaimed. "That's gross!"

"Wait till you're sixteen dude, trust me on that."

After ready, and Lyra and Chrysalis talking, Shade seemed to be close, ether listening in, or to make sure to keep the peace. I really gotta know her story on how she was so chill of the Changeling Queen, don’t know why it keep slipping my mind…eh.

We left soon after, to catch the noon train, I would pick something up for lunch before returning home, or have lunch with her, I guess it could be considered a date in a sense; right?

It felt weird, when we walked together side by side, her now even more closer, nearly brushing up against my leg as we walked. It was like when we were dating and she pressing close to me. Like a cat, rubbing against its owner. How would this fare if this worked out. How could I possible work on keeping both mares happy, and to show Lyra, the other, and now 'alpha' mare of the group, if she would be considered for that; that she meant no harm? I knew Lyra well enough that it took a while to convince her.

So did she accept to be in the herd, to give her another chance to be with me; or was it indeed something more. Bah…I must be over thinking things, I get like that at times I supposed, thinking that everyone, even the ones I care for deeply, has a reason for everything.

We got to the train, as I paid for our tickets, I bought a day pass, seeing how it would be cheaper and I could afford to spend a few extra hours and not have to always check the time. When in the train, we bought a few snacks to bid our time. There being a few ponies about, and a human or two. More humans were coming to move Fully over here, mostly going to other lands. She was sitting next to me, my hands along my lap, as I gazed out into the passing green hills, as the trains made it way down, until that is, I felt a hoof along my hand.

Looking up, it of course, belonged to Lyra, as she gave me a warm half smiled as I brought it back. "You have that look," she said. "Your thinking hard on something aren't you?"

"Mhm…" I hummed my answered as she nodded.

"Because of last night and this morning."

"You kinda don’t expect a threesome, and then the next morning talking about forming a herd…" I reminded her. "It's a lot to progress at once. She only softly giggled at this as I rolled my eyes, and brought a arm over and held her side, allowing her to lean closer, her head resting along me. "I do want this to work," I reminded her. "But…you will have to trust her, you know?" I didn’t want to say the name, and beside she knew what I was talking about. "Luna gave her a chance, granted it's because of me, and there was the whole, if she does it again, I'll be put to jail as well thing…but I know she's changed."

"You're truly willing…to put so much trust in her?"

"It may seem…odd, that I've only known her for such a small amount of time and I'm trusting her as such, but you have to see it in her point of view, as well as the kingdom. They trusted Luna to come back, even after the whole Nightmare…" I blinked a bit, as I shook my head, as something seemed to happen, I saw flashed of, something, and started to see it.

I stood in front of a podium of sorts, gazing down at someone…not someone, somepony, Celestia, I seemed to be mad, angry…enraged! I felt all of it, the ponies that loved her more than me, how they played, laughed, worked all under her light, but slept during mine night skies and then… "Brandon, Brandon!"

I shook my head, blinking a bit as I rubbed my forehead. "Are you okay…you just, blanked out for a second!"

"I…I'm fine," I said as I tried to progress what just happened, was that…a memory of Luna? For a moment…I considered myself…her, like the Night was mine, Celestia was my sister…it was strange.

"You sure?"

"Just a bit light headed…kinda hot in here," I said with a soft warm smile as she gazed at me but nodded all the same and leaned against me again, as I soon brought out my phone…and started to text Luna.

Me: Luna, you there, I really need to talk to you.

I waited for a respond, as it came soon after.

Luna: Is everything alright my friend?

Me: I think…I just had one of those flashes. I was talking about Nightmare Moon, and it just happened…I saw you looking at Celestia, fighting about her Light?

There was a pause, a nice long one, in texting term, before I saw the phone light up as she was texting.

Luna: That…was the moment I allowed Nightmare Moon to take over. It was the moment I felt enough was enough, that I would show the ponies what the night could truly be…it was the day I was banished for 1000 years.

Me: I'm sorry, it must've been rough.

Luna: It was…how do you feel?

Me: Strange…it felt like…it was my own memory, like I was…you.

Luna: That will happen, it will pass, you know what is your and what not is. That is one of the major things you must look out for. To know what is your own, and what is not. We are different beings, so it will be easier.

Me: If you mind me asking…just what is Nightmare Moon?

Me just texting that…I felt a slight, chill, not a 'don’t speak of her name' type chill…but a knowing chill, like I already knew.

Luna: I'll explain when we next meet, it's better we speak with words, and not over texts.

That much I could agree on, after thanking her and putting my phone back, we rested in the train, before it pulled up, to Ponyville.

I still don’t understand why everyone in Ponyville was so nice, from what I understood, it was never a dull moment when it came to the Element of Harmony. And the stories that they were scared of anything that wasn’t pony…maybe they were getting use to new beings coming and going? Either way, we made our way over to Lyra's place, she wanted to get something before we went off to lunch, maybe her bit bag or something. Bon Bon wasn’t here, and I wondered where she was, the Hive, or just out and about; no doubt Lyra would tell her the news later on today. When she came back down from her room, she told me that she had made plans with Rarity to have lunch, and was about to ask to do it another day, when questioned why, she told the white unicorn why; and she wanted to come along as well, to talk to us both. When I asked Lyra why, she responded, as we walked toward the same place we ate when we first met. "Rarity said she had worked with a few clients who were in, or was in a herd before, and she wanted to know If she could give us insight with what she heard, that could possible help us…beside, this really isn't a date per say."

"True," I agreed as I then nodded my head. "Well either way, I'm sure any information we can get will better help us; if this works out." I was surprised with how well, she and Rarity had became friends, it seemed out of place to say the least; but it wasn’t any of mine to question or not.

When we got there, Rarity it seemed was just about to sit down, she seemed to be wearing a long dress, that just screamed 'a little of Canterlot', but I disgrace. We greeted one another as we sat down, they now having more of a chair for humans now as I took a seat. We ordered our drinks and meals, seeing how we already knew what we wanted, as we settled on down.

"So is it true?" the clothing marker asked as Lyra and I looked at her. "You are truly trying the idea of Herding?"

"Yeah," I answered as Lyra took a sip of her drink. "Today we, Lyra, Nova, and I decided to…try it out and see…truthfully I'm still in the part where I'm waiting to see if this was all a test and Nova smacking me upside the head!" that got a soft chuckle from Rarity as I went on. "But…we are going to see how this works out, if it can."

"Wonderful!" the unicorn exclaimed as she clapped her hooves together before asking. "If I may ask…what sort of Herd will it be?"

"Kind?" Lyra asked.

"Why yes, darling," Rarity spoke with a soft sage like nod. "There are a few common different types. There one where it is made indeed out of love, which no doubt is under your type. But there are a few others."

"Before you go on…" I questioned her. "How…do you know so much on Herding…did you ever.."

"Oh heavens no!" she quickly resorted. "I'm a one stallion type of mare, no; I leaned all this from my clients, I do get to hear many of stories."

"Uh huh…" I muttered and then dared to asked. "And the other types…?"

"Breeding, sexually fun, you know it dear, there a herd for that." Holy shit…

"Well this is made out of Love," Lyra spoke up as I turned slightly to look at her. "I mean, I still do care for Brandon, and I am glad to be doing this."

"However," our friend spoke as she closed her eyes. "How much has changed since you last dated?"

Both me and Lyra looked over at her when she asked such a question. "This of it, you two. A year am I right? That is how long you two had broken up…how much has changed between then and now. So far you are going on past feelings…old feelings of old you…a year can change a lot of things." She was right…looking down at Lyra, and even saw her looking up to me, Rarity was right. How much indeed did we change from what we remembered from one another, would we still hold that same kindle of love we had for one another when we were dating, or with everything that happened now…me dating a Changeling Queen that she doesn’t trust, and just other things as well. Could…and would this indeed work…or would this destroy something we once had for one another?

Great thing to have on ones head…huh?