My Little Lover
Fanfic by Crowquill Symphony
Big Macintosh groaned as he pulled the plow across the field. Sweat poured down his muzzle, and he clenched his teeth. The plow was old, and the ground was hard this season. But Ponyville was counting on a good harvest, and they needed more than the apples from the trees. He buckled down, pulling harder.
“Big Mac! Y’all right down there?”
Macintosh groaned, pulling the plow slowly behind him. “Eeeeyup.”
Applejack trotted down to her elder brother, her golden hair bouncing as she hopped over to the barren field. “Y’ better rest soon. It’s hotter than a dragon's breath out here.” She looked over the plow, and continued. “We oughtta replace that plow too.”
Big Mac just kept pushing on. He had checked the prices on new plows. Heck, he had checked the prices on used plows. Frankly, they were out of the price range that they could afford. He had tried to explain this to AJ multiple times, but every time she would just get mad about him trying to use his “Fancy Mathematics” on her. Nonetheless, he figured he might as well give it another shot. “AJ, you of e’rypony should know we can’t afford a new…”
“Tell you what Big Macintosh, I’ll take over the plowing for now, if you go into town and check the prices. Sound good?”
“That didn’t have anythin’ t’do with-“
“Sounds good! See Yah later Big Mac!” She undid the plow from his collar, and started putting it on herself. Macintosh sighed. Once she put an idea or thought into her head, she wouldn’t give it up. She was stubborn as a mule. He sighed.
“Might as well take a break…”
******
“You’ve never gone on a date Rainbow?” Twilight Sparkle’s horn glowed as she pulled a book from one of the higher shelves in the library. It was the middle of the day, and Twilight had been hoping to spend it studying.
“Like you’re one to talk Little Miss Bookworm! I bet you’ve never even talked to a stallion!” Rainbow Dash floated over to Twilight. “All you ever do is read, read, read! You socialize less that I do!”
Twilight sighed. “I’m just saying, I’ve been in Ponyville for almost ten years now, and I’ve never seen you show any romantic interest in anypony. You have your obsession of the Wonderbolts, but as for any serious interests in other ponies…”
“Well what about you, Huh?”
“My love life is none of your concern Rainbow Dash.”
“That’s a fancy way of saying you’ve never gone-“
“I went on a few dates with a nice colt back when I was in Canterlot. I still send him letters sometimes.”
Silence. Neither pony spoke. If a pin had fallen, they would have both heard it. Rainbow floated above the ground, flapping her wings just enough to stay above the ground. Twilight turned back to the bookshelf, levitating a few more books down. The doors to the library creaked open, and Spike walked in carrying parchment and quills, breaking the silence.
“Spike!” Rainbow flew over to the baby dragon. “Twilight never really went on a date, right? When she was in Canterlot? She’s pulling my tail, right?”
Spike stopped, thinking carefully. “Well, I was pretty young, but I do remember her spending some time with a nice colt before he moved away.” Rainbow’s Jaw dropped. “Come to think of it, he was almost as much of a bookworm as she was! Probably why they hit it off so well. Shame he left.”
Rainbow was shocked. “So what? This doesn’t prove anything! I’m fully capable of finding a nice Colt!” She dashed out one of the upper windows, not giving the others a chance to respond.
“What was that about Twilight?”
“Nothing for you to worry about, Spike. Nothing for you to worry about.”
******
Dash flew through the town, trying to pick out a nice Stallion to try and flirt with. She knew that she could do it. Twilight had done it! She spotted a nice looking pegasus flying by, and followed at a distance. He was fairly good looking, pretty strong, fast (but nowhere close to Dash’s speed), and for a moment considered going up and flirting with him, at least until a pink mare with a silver mane and long wings pulled up next to him, sharing a kiss before flying her separate way. Rainbow floated to a nearby cloud, and sat there thinking. She groaned and buried her muzzle into the cloud. She had been at this for at least an hour after she left the Library, and Dash was beginning to feel disappointed, a feeling fairly foreign to her.
Beneath her were the citizens of Ponyville, and love was in the air. Numerous couples were frolicking and galloping in the streets. She spotted a particularly joyous looking pair in an alley behind Sugarcube Corner, kissing very passionately and… Oh.
Dash looked away, blushing heavily at the sight of the couple. They weren’t even being discreet with their actions. The colt was kissing and licking his mate while she moaned and gasped from the pleasure. They were fully into the act, and as they began to get louder and louder, Dash finally dove from her cloud, landing safely on the street, still red in the cheeks from what she had seen. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the image.
“Heya Dashie!”
Dash jolted in surprise, turning face to face with Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie! Don’t sneak up on me!”
Pinkie laughed. “Sorry Dash, I wasn’t trying to surprise you! But I saw you up on that cloud, and then you blushed really bright, so I thought I’d come down and figure out why you were blushing and hey where are you going Rainbow?”
Rainbow was gone. She flew away, stopping only when she was sure Pinkie was following her. She wasn’t in the mood for Pinkie’s randomness, entertaining as it was. She looked around, getting her bearings. She was in an alleyway, though she wasn’t quite sure which one. She flapped her wings, floating low back out into the street. She turned out of the alleyway- just in time to crash into Big Macintosh. Dash recoiled; running into the enormous stallion was like flying into a brick wall. “Sorry Big Mac! Didn’t mean to crash into you!” She laughed nervously. “What’re you up to?”
Macintosh shrugged his broad shoulders. “AJ wanted me to check prices for a new plow.” He stared into the distance. Dash watched him for a few seconds.
“Did you… find one?”
“Nnnnnope.”
Dash shrugged. “Ah well, better luck next time! See yah Mac!”
“Eeeyup.”
As they started to leave, Dash felt… something. She wasn’t quite sure what it was, but…
“Hey Macintosh.”
Mac turned to the Pegasus, silent and strong.
“Do you, uh, wanna grab something to eat? For lunch?”
Mac seemed to toss the idea around in his head for a few seconds. Rainbow started to worry that she may have offended him somehow, but quickly dismissed the thought. Why would he get upset over being asked out to lunch? She wondered briefly why she even cared when the stallion replied.
“Eeeyup.”
******
“So then, BAM! He just crashes into the ground, and he leaves this big crater! Nopony got hurt, but man, everyone was freaking out! Except me, y’know?”
Big Macintosh chuckled. He had to admit, this was nice. He had never really spoken with Rainbow Dash. She was one of AJ’s friends, a particularly free-spirited Pegasus, but aside from that, she was more or less a complete stranger to him. This was the first time he had ever really talked to her, and he had to admit, it felt good.
“So you got any good stories Mac?” Rainbow said.
He snapped back to attention. “Me? Uh…” He was stumped. He quickly flipped through his memories. Aside from a few incidents he had been involved in since that one unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, had come to Ponyville. He had no interesting stories at all. Although...
“Ah once caught Applejack trying on one of my collars.”
Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? What happened?”
“I came in early from the fields one day, and I saw my door open.” He paused, building up effect. “I snuck over quietly as I could, an there she was, just standin’ there with one of mah collars on. She was even posin’ front of the mirror.”
Rainbow was laughing hard. Mac smiled. He thought that was a good story. AJ would kill him for telling Dash, but any sense of worry was far away.
“Tell yah the truth, Ah think she wanted t’see if she looked stronger with it on. Ah just thought she looked goofy.”
“Oh my god! That is an awesome story! I can’t believe it! Does she know-“
“Nnnope. Personally, I’d prefer it stay that way.”
Rainbow smiled. “No worries. I’ll keep it secret. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”
Big Mac couldn’t help but chuckle at the bizarre statement. He had to admit, for a random meeting, this was nice. A pony with a nice vest approached and set down a piece of paper. “Your bill, Monsieur.”
“No worries Mac, I’ll pay.” Rainbow pulled out a few bits, setting them on top of the bill. The pony picked them up, giving a nod as he trotted away.
“Mighty kind of yah Ms. Dash.”
“C’mon, no need to call me Miss! Dash is fine! Or Rainbow. Whatever!”
Mac grinned. “Well then, that’s mighty kind of yah Dash.” He looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set. He felt a bit surprised at how much time had passed since they ran into each other. “Would y'all like an’ escort home?”
Dash blushed slightly. “Oh no, It’s fine! No problem Mac!”
Mac felt a bit disheartened. At the back of his mind, he wondered why he was genuinely intent on escorting her home, but for the moment he was fairly focused on her. “Alrighty then. I’ll see yah ‘round Dash.”
Dash began to float up. “Same to you Mac! We should really hang out more often. You’re really cool, y’know?”
Mac watched her flying away, and felt a certain kind of warmth in his heart. He couldn’t quite explain it, but he liked the feeling. He watched her disappear into the sky, and then realized that he could vividly picture her flanks in motion in his mind. He blushed slightly, and then walked away, his gaze on the ground. He wasn’t one to pay much attention to a mare’s behind, but he had to admit, she had a very nice backside.
He blushed even harder. “C’mon Big Macintosh, get yer head outta the gutter.”
******
Rainbow rested in her soft cloud bed. She had to admit, it was nice spending time with Macintosh. He was a little quiet, but he could definitely hold an audience if he needed to. She felt really good. It had been a good way to end the day. Flipping onto her back, she sighed. Her chest was filled with a warm, happy feeling.
“You’ve never gone on a date Rainbow?”
Twilights words wormed their way to the top of Dash’s head. She tried to shake them from her mind, but they just engraved themselves deeper into her mind. Dash covered her head with a cloud and groaned. So what if she hadn’t gone on a date? It wasn’t that important. She was still young! Besides, just because she hadn’t met a good colt today-
Dash opened her eyes wide and starred at the night sky as the realization hit her. She had run into a nice colt today. She went over her lunch with Big Macintosh in her head. He was kind, and when she really thought about it, he was handsome. Very handsome.
Her thoughts went to the pair in the alley, but it changed in her mind. She pictured herself in that alleyway, with Big Macintosh kissing and touching her. She could picture him pressing his thing into her…
Before she knew it, Dash was vigorously rubbing herself between her legs. Her body felt like it was on fire. She was panting wildly, moving her hoof faster and faster and faster and-
“Macintosh!” she shouted as she exploded. Her body shuddered, each time soaking her more and more. When she finally calmed down, she stared into the distance, at the lights from Sweet Apple Acres. As she drifted off to sleep, Dash silently wondered if she was falling for the big colt.
She shut her eyes. Tomorrow morning she would go and visit. It wouldn’t seem that weird, Applejack being one of her closest friends. Plus, she’d be able to see Macintosh again.
Who knows, she thought, maybe this is love.
******
Big Mac lay on his bed, thinking about Rainbow Dash. Specifically, he was thinking about the thoughts he had about her. She was younger than him. Not much younger, but still a few years younger. On top of that, she was AJ’s closest friend. If AJ knew he had been thinking about Dash that way, Celestia knows what she would do. It was already dark, and he had already extinguished the candle by his bedside. It was late, and tomorrow he would wake up nice and early, and as such, he didn’t want to spend any more time awake.
He flipped onto his stomach, suddenly becoming aware of an uninvited surprise that was rising from his loins. He tried to calm himself down, thinking of the least appealing things he could think of. Granny Smith, that time he tripped and fell into that swamp, the time he had to walk down Stirrup Street in Granny’s girdle…
“Hey Big Macintosh?”
Oh Luna on the moon! Applejack trotted in slowly, and Big Mac turned onto his side, away from his younger sister, hiding his piece. AJ trotted over, nudging him with a hoof. “Hey Mac, Y’still awake?”
“Eeeyup.”
“That’s good. Ah kinda wanted to talk to yah.” She sat on the edge of his bed.
“Can’t this wait til’ mornin?”
“Nah, Ah wanna get this out in the open now.”
An Ah wanna get you out of my room now! Mac curled himself into a ball, trying to hide his shame. “What is it AJ?”
“Well Mac, it’s just that I’ve been wonderin’ something. I never see you going out and socializing with any nice mares. I’ve just been thinking,” She paused for a moment, “Have you even thought about finding yerself a nice lover?”
Mac shuddered, and Rainbow flashed through his mind again. He felt his area beginning to swell again, and he prayed that Applejack would leave soon. “Eeeyup. Are yah done?”
“Mac, I’m being serious here.”
“So am Ah. G’night.” He curled up tighter, wishing his loins would calm down. Finally, AJ stood up, and trotted away.
“Fine. G’night Big Mac.” She shut the door silently, and he heard her hooves clopping down the hallway, until the room was dead silent again.
Mac lay there, finally relaxing after his state of arousal eventually passed. He gazed out his window, into the star-filled night, before finally shutting his eyes.
I should take Rainbow out sometime, he thought as he drifted into the silent peace of sleep.
******
“Hey there Rainbow! Nice to see yah!” Applejack waved a hoof at her friend as she flew in. “Whatdya need Sugar cube?”
“Oh, y’know, just stopping in, seeing if I can help, y’know?” Dash chuckled nervously.
“You comin’ to help?” That was a little suspicious. AJ had never once seen Dash volunteer to help on the farm. She had asked for Dash’s help occasionally, but Dash volunteering was unheard of. “Well, I s’pose you can help Big Macintosh. He’s planting seeds in the west field.”
“Alrighty! Sounds Good! See yah Applejack!” She flew away, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. AJ watched her fly away.
“What in the world’s gotten into that girl?”
******
“So, I was thinking, y’know, we should go out to eat again.” Dash floated by Big Mac, tossing seeds into the plowed earth nearby. “I mean, we had a good time, right? You had a good time yesterday, right?”
“Eeeyup.” Mac trotted alongside her. He grinned slightly, “And this time, I’ll pay, if yah don’t mind.”
“Sounds good! So,” Rainbow tossed some more seeds into the ground, “when should we meet up?”
Big Macintosh tossed the idea about in his head. It was almost noon, and he was starting to get hungry. “We can go out for lunch right now, if yer up for it.” He could’ve sworn he saw her blush for a second
“Sounds good, sounds cool.” She floated a little way behind him, grinning nervously. He glanced back briefly. For a second, he could’ve sworn she was ogling him. He shrugged off the feeling.
Looks like you got a date Big Mac. Good for you.
******
The waiter set a chilled bottle of Hard Apple Cider on the table, along with two glasses. The two had spent the day at the restaurant, and with the sun descending, Mac had suggested the pair try a bottle of cider. The waiter watched the pair as Rainbow looked at the bottle nervously. “So, uh, that’s cider, huh?”
“Eeeyup.”
“So…” Rainbow paused briefly, eyes locked on the bottle, “I guess we should try it, huh?”
“Allow me.” Mac poured a small amount into the clear glass. He sniffed the cider, nodded, and raised the glass to his eye. He stared into the cider, swishing it about in the glass, and finally took a sip. He swirled the cider around in his mouth, absorbing the flavor, before finally swallowing the sip. Dash watched, intently focused on the stallion. He set the glass down. The waiter leaned in slightly, his eyes on Mac.
“Eeeyup,” Mac said, leaning back slightly, “That’s cider.”
Silence. For a brief moment, nopony moved or spoke. The tables around the pair went quiet. Mac began to worry he had unintentionally offended someone when Dash broke out laughing, pounding her hoof on the table. Tears poured out as she gasped for breath in between loud laughs. The atmosphere returned, and Dash wiped the last few tears from her eyes. “Tha-Hah ha- that was so awesome! Seriously, that was great Mac!” Mac smiled and poured his date a glass, blushing just slightly. “I mean, seriously, I thought it was gonna be something like profound, or super sophisticated like-“
“The fact that it was a 3 year old cider?”
Rainbow stopped. She looked at Mac as a distant look crossed his face. “Three years old. The Apples came from Appleoosa, mainly the trees near the buffalo migration paths. Harvested early due to signs of a parasprite infestation, but still a good vintage.” He poured himself a glass and took a sip. Dash was silent. She was surprised, both by how much he knew about the cider and by how eloquent he had been. She took a sip, felt the cider burn just slightly going down.
******
“Now that wassh shhhome aweshome shhider…” Dash floated nearby Mac as they walked down the street. The two of them had finished the bottle, as well as two others before they finally left. “Seriously, that was good shhtuff…” She wobbled back and forth in the air, her cheeks practically glowing red.
“Y’all sure yer ‘right t’be flyin’? Fer a little pony, y’sure (hic) drank a lot.” Mac himself was fairly drunk, and given that Dash had matched him glass for glass, he wasn’t certain she should be flying.
“Aw, c’mon Big Mac, I’m fi-” She stopped as she crashed into a lamppost, falling backwards. Mac stopped.
“Y’all right Dash?” Dash didn’t respond. “Dash?” He rushed put his ear to her chest. She was still breathing, and her heart was still beating, but she wasn’t moving. She had a small bruise on her head. Mac panicked. “Dash. Dash, wake up. Y’all need to wake up now! C’mon Dash!” Her eyes slowly began to flutter open. Big Macintosh sighed deeply. “Thank Celestia. I was worried there fer a sec…”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Dash said, standing up on her hooves, swaying slightly side by side. “I’m al-” she fell down on her stomach.
“Yer in no condition t’fly home. C’mon,” Big Mac lifted the Pegasus onto his back, “You’ll be spendin’ the night.” He began to trot towards Sweet Apple Acres. Dash stammered, trying to form some excuse, or reassurance, but finally gave up, resigning to rest on the red colt’s back. She felt the warmth of his body rising into her. She closed her eyes, drifting to sleep.
Mac nudged open the door to his house, peeking in silently and carefully. The house was dark, no lights in any of the windows. He could smell the cider on his breath, and he knew he would have no small amount of grief if AJ caught him coming in now, with her friend draped over his back nonetheless. He crept slowly upstairs, then down the hall to the guest room. It was better than his room, a nice bed, simple rug, a closet and even an attached bathroom. He slowly laid Dash onto the bed, and pulled the covers over her body. He blushed slightly as his gaze passed over her. His stared at her face, peacefully at rest.
Kiss her.
Mac pulled himself away. He wasn’t sure why he would think such a thing. She was asleep, unconscious! “T’wouldn’t be gentlecoltly of me…”
“What wouldn’t?”
Mac turned sharply. Dash’s eyes were open just barely, her cheeks still red. “What wouldn’t be gentlecoltly of you?”
Mac turned away. “Ahh…” He couldn’t tell her. He had to tell her. Wait, no he didn’t! “nothin…”
“You wanted to kiss me huh?”
Mac turned a brighter shade of red. “Howd’you…”
“Call it a lucky guess.”
Silence. Neither pony spoke for a brief moment. Mac heard Dash turning under the covers.
“C’mere for a second Macintosh.”
He turned around slowly. He was a foot from her, and he stared into her beautiful pink eyes, and her cyan fur that seemed to shine in the night.
“Closer.”
He moved closer, and his heart raced. He was just a few inches from the Pegasus when she lunged out and kissed him. He couldn’t breathe. She held the kiss for one second, two, three… when she finally pulled away, Macintosh’s mind was beyond blank. There was nothing. If she had asked him to tackle and mount the Princess, he probably would have. But she just lay on the bed, turning onto her back. “G’night Big Macintosh. Sweet dreams stud.”
******
Mac lay in bed starring out the window. Once again he found himself hosting his familiar visitor, but his mind was elsewhere. Dash had kissed him. Rainbow Dash had kissed him. The fastest Pegasus in Equestria and the bearer of the element of Loyalty had kissed him, a simple farm colt with no future outside of the apples. His heart was still racing, and his face felt like it was on fire.
It was the cider, he thought, she just had too much cider and got a little overly expressive. He rolled over, pressing his stallionhood into the mattress. She drank too much.
So what?
He was tossing and turning. Even if the kiss had been the cider, there had been something more. She had accepted a second date with him. They had spent hours talking and looking at each other. He wasn’t sure if it was love- no, that wasn’t right. He locked his eyes on the ceiling. He was sure that he liked her. By the moon, he loved that crazy Pegasus. That much he was sure of.
As he drifted off to sleep, he prayed. He prayed silently that maybe she did share his feelings. He prayed that maybe they could keep going out, and that they could kiss again, and again. His last thoughts in the darkness were the two of them, sitting on the porch of Sweet Apple Acres as old grey ponies.
******
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to the bright sunlight flowing in the window, and her head exploded. She slammed her eyelids shut, turning onto her stomach. She slowly sat up, and opened her eyes; her head exploded a second time, and she groaned. Slowly she pulled herself out of the bed, and trotted her way downstairs, going over last night’s events. She remembered leaving the restaurant, and remembered running into a lamp post. After that there was darkness, and then…
She stopped. She had kissed Big Macintosh. Her cheeks went red as she replayed the scene in her mind. She had called him over and kissed him. It wasn’t a friendly kiss. It was a long kiss.
A lover’s kiss.
Applejack was sitting down in front of a beautiful feast laid out on the table in the kitchen. “Mornin’ sugar cube.” Dash felt a little confused. She could have sworn that she heard a tone of hostility in her friend’s voice. She dismissed the notion as impossible; this was Applejack! No way there were any bad vibes between each other.
“Mornin’ AJ. Can I get some breakfast?”
“Wouldn’t you prefer somethin’ fer yer hangover?”
Dash looked up. “What are you…?”
Applejack slammed her hooves into the table. Dash saw a fierce anger in her eyes. “Ah’m talkin’ bout you stayin’ out all hours of the night, and comin’ back with mah brother! And how the both of y’all bein’ drunker that fish in a cider barrel!”
Dash raised her hooves defensively. “Uh, hold on AJ-”
“Now y’all better tell me what the two of you did last night ‘fore a open a can-o-whoop ass on y’all!”
“We went out on a date! We had a few drinks, and I was too smashed to fly, so he let me stay over!” Dash left out the bit where she kissed Big Macintosh. Applejack was already mad, and letting her know about it now would be a risk not even Dash was willing to take.
“Anythin’ else?” Applejack gave Dash an evil glare. Dash shook her head nervously, sweating just a bit. Finally, AJ sighed, leaning back a bit. “Sorry sugar. I s’pose amh jus nervous cuz y’all came back late, and Mac hasn’t even woken up yet t’day.”
“Huh?”
“Yeah. I went in his room an’ there he was, lyin’ in bed. He smelled like cider. Can’t exactly blame ‘im. He doesn’t drink too often, but when he does, he really gets into the bottle.” She sighed, and started on an apple turnover. “Ahm really happy he’s a happy drunk, but the amounts he drinks can’t be healthy.”
Dash poured herself some apple juice and grabbed a random pastry. “I dunno AJ, I mean, I matched him drink for drink.”
Applejack gagged on her turnover, and gazed in shock and surprise at Dash. “You? You What? Y’all crazy? That much hard cider…” she shook her head, then looked at her friend with a slight grin, “Remind me tah bring y’all the next time there’s a drinkin’ contest.”
Rainbow just shrugged and went on with her breakfast. At least AJ wasn’t mad anymore.
******
Mac felt the hangover well before he was truly awake. He had to admit, it was one of the lighter ones. He looked around his room, noticing the position of the shadows. It was at least noon. No wonder his head didn’t hurt. He sat up slowly, stretched out and took a long deep breath before he started his usual routine.
He brushed his teeth, put on his work collar, and brushed the mane of his Smary Pants doll before heading out. He stopped and looked into the guest room. Rainbow Dash wasn’t there. The bed was messy, the sheets crumpled at the foot, and the pillow sat in the middle. He trotted over, just looking at it. Dash spent the night here. She slept on this bed. Rested her beautiful flanks on this bed…
He shook the thoughts from his mind, the blush from his cheeks. He didn’t have time to think about such things. He was already late for work today, and he knew AJ was going to be angry about him having a hangover. He went over today’s work list in his head. There wasn’t much, just clear some dead trees out of the orchard, plant some new saplings, and patch up some holes in the barn roof. Easy.
He drew a bucket of cold water from the well just outside, baptizing himself with ice cold water in the afternoon sun. He shuddered as the water slipped under his collar, ran down his sides, and breathed deeply. He heard clopping behind him, and turned to see Apple Bloom, smiling ear to ear. “Well you’re sure up late! What took yah so long big brother? Y’already missed today’s work.”
Mac stared at Apple Bloom. “Huh?”
“Applejack an’ Rainbow Dash already took care of all today’s work.”
Mac stared at his baby sister, mouth agape.
******
“Ah gotta say Dash, y’sure been helpful lately.” Applejack ran a hoof across her forehead, wiping away dirt and sweat. “ Ah didn’t know yah had it in yah sugar cube. Honestly, I don’t think Ah’ve seen yah work this hard in yer life.”
“Thanks AJ.” Dash honestly hadn’t cared about the work. While she had been knocking down trees and fixing the barn roof, her mind had been on Macintosh. The more she thought about him, the dates, and everything else, the more she found herself believing she was in love with that Stallion. He was cool, at least 20 percent cooler than any other pony she had ever met. He had a good head on his shoulders, and was strong, hardworking and honest. Plus, Dash blushed at the thought, he’s a stud. One-Hundred percent pure sexy stallion that she was having rather vulgar thoughts about. She shook her head, sending sweat flying from her mane.
“Almost makes me wonder if yer up to somethin’.” Applejack spoke slowly, her words like wolves creeping into position to attack. They sent a jolt down Dash’s spine. “W-w-whadya mean? I’m not up to anything!”
Applejack gave Dash a cold stare, and turned to face her. Dash landed, keeping eye contact with the earth pony. “Now Rainbow Dash, Ah want y’all t’give me a clear answer. No foolin’ ‘round with this, okay?”
“S-s-sure.”
“Are you after mah big brother?” Dash panicked. She had no idea how to respond.
“This seems kinda random AJ.”
“Answer the question Dash.”
Dash was silent for a moment, and sighed. “A little.”
“Ah little?”
“Why do you care?” Rainbow shouted. She crossed her forelegs and turned away. Applejack eased up slightly.
“Ah just wanted t’know sugar cube. Now look,” She trotted up to her friend, gently pulled her down to the ground, and leaned in. “Ahm not gonna ask how this happened. All ahm gonna ask is that you be sure about this. Ah don’t want y’all breakin’ his heart. There’s at least a dozen ponies out there after him. If yer gonna join in, at least ah wanna know yer in it for the long haul.”
Dash blushed slightly. The long haul. Marriage. Children. Living together until they turned into old grey ponies. She knew she was wild, and she prized her freedom above all else. And yet the idea of settling down with that big red stallion…
Seemed a bit off. She tried to picture it again. Her life was in the clouds, flying through the skies. She wasn’t an earth pony. She wouldn’t give up her wings for anything. She wouldn’t trade her freedom for anything. And yet the idea lingered.
“Speak of The Nightmares…”
Rainbow looked up. Galloping over was Big Macintosh himself. His mane was plastered to his head and neck, droplets falling with every step. Dash felt her heart beating faster, and blood rushing to her face, and certain delicate areas. She filled her head with every unattractive thought she could, trying to calm down. Mac reached the pair, barely winded.
“Y’all started workin’ without me?”
Applejack wrapped a foreleg over her brother. “Now Mac, y’all smelled like hard cider and were out like a candle in a rainstorm. ‘Sides, Dash was more than willin’ t’do yer jobs. We got em done easy. Do yah really mind Mac?”
Mac stood silent, before finally shaking his head. “Nnnnope.” He paused. “Say, could Ah talk t’Dash fer a sec?” He tried his best to remain calm, to not let on anything. Applejack smiled and shrugged.
“Go right ahead there Mac.” She trotted away, casting a final glance over her shoulder. “Just try to keep it clean.” Both ponies blushed as the farm mare trotted away. There was an awkward silence between the two. Finally, Dash spoke. “Did you, y’know, like it?” Mac blushed even harder. “The kiss?”
More silence. Finally, “Eeeyup.” After a brief moment, their eyes met. Dash gazed into the Stallion’s green eyes. He stared into hers. The crept forward slowly until their faces were inches from each other. The two shut their eyes, and brought their faces together. Finally, their lips met. Dash slowly worked her tongue into Mac’s mouth. He pulled back, eyes wide. Dash took a step back, blushing.
“I-I-I’m sorry, I got a little carried away…”
Mac pressed his lips against hers before she could react. His tongue danced inside her mouth, and she let out a soft moan. The seconds passed slowly, as if they held the kiss for hours. When they finally stopped, they found themselves on the ground beneath a nearby apple tree. Mac ran a hoof through Dash’s mane. She smiled and looked into up at the red colt. “Think we could make this a regular thing?”
Macintosh smiled. “Eeeyup.”
******
“Ohmygosh!DashieandBigMacintosharetotallygoingoutandtheykissandhugandI’mprettysureIsawhimtouchingherinher-”
Twilight did her best to ignore Pinkie’s rant. She already knew the two had been a couple for the past few weeks. They certainly didn’t hide it. They would spend their free time together, and would share passionate kisses in the middle of town. They seemed to be in a state of pure, undiluted happiness. And yet, based on the numerous books and scrolls she had read on the subject, Twilight was sure that they would find their dream relationship slowing down, or shattering entirely. She had even crunched the numbers. At most, they had a month left before reality came and struck their seemingly perfect relationship.
“AndAJsaid‘we’regonnahaveourselvesagoodolfashionedweddin’andshewasallhappyandstuffandIgettoplananawesomeweddingbutI’mworriedthey’regoingtofast-”
Twilight stopped and did a double take. “Stop for a second Pinkie,” she said, and the pink pony froze in midair. “Did you say ‘Wedding’?”
“Well of course! I wouldn’t joke about something like a wedding! Unless I knew everyone would find it funny!”
“When was this decided?” Twilight was shocked. They had been dating for three weeks! How could they have cemented their relationship enough for them to be getting married? No book she had read suggested this sort of thing would, or could happen. “This is impossible!”
She scrambled back to the library, threw the door open wide and screamed, “Spike! Find me every book on Equestria marriage you can!” Spike worked quickly, grabbing the books and bringing them down. “What brought this on Twilight? Is it Dash and Mac?” Twilight stared at the dragon, eyes wide in shock. She could only stare and stammer. “Yeah, I was a little surprised too. Everypony thinks they’re going a bit fast, but I figure that’s just Rainbow Dash being Rainbow Dash, y’know? Besides, me and some of the guys are planning a bachelor party for Big Macintosh.” He stopped. Twilight seemed to be at her limit. He shrugged. “By the way, would it be okay to hold it here?”
******
“So I’ll move in with you, and help with the Orchard, as well as taking care of the weather, which should provide some steady padding for any money worries that might come our way. This is gonna be awesome!” Despite her doubts, Rainbow Dash was ecstatic. She was getting married. It was a little sudden, but to her, that just made it better. She was always one to go fast in anything she did, and she didn’t see this as an exception. Floating about in Mac’s room in the large farmhouse, she felt more energetic and excited than ever, even wondering if this was what Pinkie Pie felt like all the time. She smiled at her soon to be husband, and felt herself come down to earth. He was staring into the distance, lost in thought. She floated over. “What’s wrong Mac?”
“Ah was jus’ thinkin’.”
“Thinking? About what? We’re getting married! Let’s go crazy! Your sister’s throwing me a bachelorette party! What are you doing? I heard Caramel and Spike were setting something up.”
Mac was silent for a moment, before he spoke in a soft voice.
“Should we have a foal of our own?”
Dash felt a weight grow in her chest. She had spent a long time wondering about it. She had talked with Fluttershy about getting pregnant, what the effects would be, long and short term, as well as what the risks would be. She knew that having a foal would bench her chances of making the Wonderbolts, possibly forever. And yet…
“Maybe. I mean,” she paused, trying to find the words. “I’d like a foal. Maybe a few. It’s just…” Mac put a hoof around her shoulder and nuzzled her gently.
“S’all right. If you don’t want to figure it out now, tha’s all right.” He held her close, felt the warmth of her body. “We’re goin’ pretty fast, s’okay t’take this slow.”
She wrapped her forelegs around Mac, and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. The door to the room burst open, and Rarity trotted into the room, her purple mane bouncing slightly with the elegant saddlebags she wore as she looked the place over, taking note of the décor of the room and how she would remake it for the night of their wedding. Finally she turned to Mac. “Well, hello Macintosh dear. Would you mind leaving for a moment? I’d like to talk to Dash alone for a moment. Mare things, you understand, yes?” She batted her eyelashes at him.
Mac shrugged, gave Dash a kiss and left the room. When he was gone and the door clicked shut, Rarity grabbed Rainbow, smiling widely. “Oh, Dash, you’re the luckiest mare in Equestria! Let me tell you, even if he’s a simple farm pony, I would go so far as to say that he is a stud fit for Princess Celestia herself!” Dash was a bit taken aback, but Rarity continued, leaning in close. “So tell me dear, what details can you give me?”
“Details?” Dash squeaked, and felt blood rush to her face. “What do you wanna know, huh? You doing a survey? Huh? Huh?”
Rarity giggled in a way that made Dash uncomfortable, and leaned in, her face an inch from Rainbow’s. “Now Dash darling, there’s no reason to worry. This will remain between us. You know I can keep a secret. So tell me,” The ivory mare lowered her voice to a whisper, “How ‘big’ is Big Macintosh?”
Dash shoved Rarity away, embarrassed and just a bit angry. “Will you drop it? It doesn’t matter, alright! Just quit it!” She turned her back on Rarity, floating over to a desk covered with the various papers needed for a wedding. Rarity laughed, and trotted over to her friend.
“Now, Now, Darling, I’m just teasing, having a bit of fun. Besides, I still have to show you your dress.” Dash groaned, turning slowly as Rarity pulled the white gown from her bags. It took a few minutes to put on, but Dash was blown away when she saw herself in it. She had expected an elaborate dress with all kinds of ‘frou frou things’ as Applejack would say, but the dress was simple, sleek and clean, with a simple pattern stitched into the cloth. Rainbow looked at herself in the mirror as Rarity placed the veil over her head. She leaned in close, smiling softly. “You look absolutely fabulous darling.”
******
Mac stood in front of the Ponyville Library, weighing his options. He appreciated that the “boys” would go through the trouble of throwing him a party, but he still felt nervous. He trotted forward, and knocked on the door. The tree stood silent. He knocked again. Mac could have heard a pin drop down the street. For a moment, he wondered if he was early. He slowly opened the door to the library and stuck his head into the darkness.
“Surprise!” The lights burst on, blinding the stallion for a moment. He shook away the shroud in his eyes, and felt his eyes go wide. The library was filled with strobe lights, alcohol, ping-pong tables and dancing mares. Spike, Caramel, and the few other Stallions in town stood in front, each with his own glass of cider. Even his cousin Braeburn was there, much to Mac’s surprise. They raised their glasses high, and Braeburn shouted “A toast! Here’s to our good ol’ friends last day of freedom, and a lifetime of married ‘bliss’! Good luck Cousin Mac!”
“Good luck Big Macintosh!” They shouted, and took a swig from their glasses. Mac smiled, trotting up to the group. Spike stepped forward, the small dragon already showing signs of intoxication. For a brief moment Mac contemplated the wisdom of letting a baby dragon drink, long enough for the dragon to finish his drink. “Hope you like this pal!” The dragon was obviously excited about something, be it the mares or the drinks. “You wouldn’t believe what it took to convince Twi’ to let us hold this here. Anyways, we’ve got beer pong, hard cider, and hot mares! Enjoy yourself buddy!” The dragon reached up, patting Mac on the cheek before stumbling off to a small basket in the corner.
The rest of the party went as one would expect; everyone got smashed, everything got trashed, and Mac woke up in a bathtub filled with what he guessed was a mixture of alcohol and his own piss. Aside from the showmares getting a bit too close for comfort and his friends insistence that he get laid as a “free stud,” he had managed to out drink everypony, and decided to live out a fantasy of swimming in beer.
He briefly reminded himself not to drink that much ever again when the hangover kicked in full force. He dragged himself downstairs, stopping to pull his collar off of an unconscious mare cuddling with Caramel. By the time he got downstairs, his willpower had recovered enough that he was able to put on the appearance of having stayed sober. Spike was up and about, assessing the damage as Mac headed for the door. “Oh, hey Macintosh. Did’ja have a good time?”
“Eeyup.”
“Alrighty then. I’ll see you later man!” Spike turned back to the overturned tables, empty bottles and cans, and passed out ponies. He groaned. “This is gonna take forever to clean up…”
The trek back to the farm was long, and because the sun was out in force, it took Mac a while to get there on account of his throbbing head. The night had been fun, a proper send off for one of the most eligible bachelors in Ponyville. He smiled slightly, and let out a chucked. He wouldn’t admit it, but the advances of the mares in town had been a thorn in his side for a while. Maybe they’d let up now that he was getting hitched.
“Celestia and Luna, this hurts like crazy!” Rainbow ran a hoof over the bandage that adorned her side. She and Applejack sat under the trees of Sweet Apple Acres, disinfecting and bandaging the various injuries they had. “Can you believe that Berry Punch attacked me like that? Crazy drunken mule…”
“Ah can believe it. She was drunk when the party started, and Ah’d seen her eyein’ Mac more than once…” She finished wrapping gauze around her head and pulled her Stetson on over them, wincing slightly. “Ahm more surprised that Lyra an’ Bon Bon joined in.”
The night had started well enough. There had been drinking, handsome studs straight from Canterlot, and some of Pinkie Pie’s favorite party games “adapted” to fit the mood of a bachelorette party, often making them more than a bit explicit. At some point, Berry had charged up to Rainbow, shouting about stealing Mac, and some kind of unspoken agreement, and when Dash told her to calm down, she socked her.
Within minutes, the party had turned into a full-fledged brawl. Pinkie panicked, and when it was all over curled up into a ball and cried herself to sleep. Two ponies had broken legs; the rest went home with various cuts and bruises. Even Fluttershy, who had been reluctant to attend the party in the first place, got caught up in the fight after somepony broke a bottle over AJ’s head. She had been one of the least wounded, partially because nopony thought she was a threat, and partially because she stopped the fight by breaking a few legs, but nonetheless she left in tears, more from abject horror of what she had done.
“Geez, I can’t believe this. What’s Mac gonna say…”
The two stopped. What would Mac say? What would he do if he knew things had turned violent? “Uh… Applejack?”
“Yeah Dash?”
“Mac’s not… he isn’t… y’know…”
Applejack was silent for a moment. “Under normal circumstances, no. He ain’t violent. He might get a bit rowdy, but never violent. ‘Cept…” She stopped. Rainbow pleaded with her eyes for Applejack to continue. With a sigh, she went on. “One time, some crazy old mule came by the farm. She was a real piece of work, shoutin’ an’ cussin’ at us. Mac took it as well as he could, least till that crazy mule decided tah give me a kick in the side. And Mac…” She paused, and locked eyes with Rainbow. “The mare left on a stretcher. We told ‘em that she fell into the pig pen and they went wild. Nopony pressed charges, but, well…”
Applejack gazed off into the distance, falling silent. For a while, nopony made a sound. “Well, that doesn’t sound too bad.” Dash smiled, and Applejack could only stare in shock at mare. “I mean, c’mon AJ, if I caught some mule kicking you around, I’d knock her flanks to the moon!” She tossed her hooves in the air for emphasis. “Besides, him being able to get angry, well…” She paused, giving a small smile to the air. “Well, I guess it makes him more, y’know, pony. I can understand him a bit better.”
The distant noises of the animals of the farm echoed through the air. Finally, the two heard hoofsteps getting closer. They trotted over to the fence, spotting a familiar red stallion approaching. His eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped at the sight of his sister and fiancé in bandages. He ran, full gallop to them.
“What the hay happened? Who did this?” There was a barely contained anger in his voice. His jaw was clamped shut, his teeth grinding, eyes narrowed in anger.
“T’weren’t nuthin, Mac. Jus’some angry ol’ mules. We already kicked their tails tah Timbuckeroo. Y’all don’t need t’worry bout this none, y’hear?” There was a softness in Applejack’s voice, but her tone was stern and steady. Mac lowered his head to the ground, taking in a few deep breathes before standing up again. He seemed calmer, but there was still a dark mood hanging over him. Rainbow jumped, landing on the fence post and leaned over.
“Don’t worry. We beat their flanks. ‘Sides, we had someponies on our side too. Lemmie tell yah, they never stood a chance.” She threw some punches and kicks into the air, and then hopped down to nuzzle her love. “Cheer up. I’m alright. And I promise they won’t try anything again.” Though slightly confused, Mac let out a deep sigh, and kissed Rainbow on the cheek. He managed to work out a smile as they trotted off. “Lemmie tell yah, I’ve never seen anypony fight like Fluttershy fought. I mean, me and AJ were doing pretty good, and Rarity seemed to be holding her own, but Fluttershy? She was kicking flank like noponies business!”
That night, the pair would talk about the story Applejack told Rainbow. There was no discussion, or argument, just a simple confirmation of truth, and a loving kiss.
******
“Can you believe it? That, that mule Rainbow Dash?” Berry punch sat with various other ponies in the park, all nursing various cuts and bruises. “I mean, how did that filly-fooler wrap Macintosh around her hoof like that?” The others murmured their agreement, many of them bitter rather than angry. “I shuwear, she probably gave him a ‘ride’ on the first date. Luna in the moon…” She emptied the bottle she had been nursing. Across the street, a rather angry looking griffon watched her as she spat curses and insults.
The creature walked over to Berry, and she turned to face it.
“Berry Punch?” the griffon said, eyeing the mare cautiously.
“Whosh ashkin?”
The griffin grabbed the drunk, pulling her close. “Listen up! I heard you’re got a problem with Rainbow Dash getting married. It just so happens that Dash is a good friend of mine, and I’d appreciate it if you left her alone.”
Berry glared angrily at the griffon. “Shooo what, she shent some feathery muscle t’intimidate me? Nice try, but I’m not gonna…”
“You think Dash sent me? I haven’t spoken to her in months. Like I said, I heard about it.” The griffon let the mare go, but kept an eye on her. “I’m not on good terms with Dash. We had a fight. I’ve been hoping to fix things up, but guess what? I’m walking around time looking for her, and I see her trotting away beaten up, with you and your friends bashed up too. Kinda hard not to see what’s going on.
“I want you to know that if you do anything, I mean anything to upset her, I’ll ram my claws so far up your ass that you’ll be picking bits of your cutie mark out of your mouth for a week.” She flexed a claw, and saw Berry Punch shiver. “Dash’s getting married to someone, who, I can only guess, is a real stud. If I can be happy for her, then you sure as shit can.”
She spread her wings and turned away, ready to fly. “Sho who are you, huh?” Berry Punch was shaken, but still managed a tone of defiance. Gilda was silent, turned and took off, shouting as she passed the frightened pony.
“The name’s Gilda. Remember it you shitfaced mule!”
******
Difficulties and rivalries aside, the day of the wedding finally arrived, and Big Macintosh stood beneath a white archway covered with flowers and ribbons. His entire family had come, taking up and entire side of cushions set up for the outdoor wedding. On the other side were a few ponies he knew from town, some friends of Rainbow’s and her friends. He was nervous, even if he kept the same stoic expression he always wore.
Soft, elegant music began to play, and Sweetie Bell trotted down the aisle, leaving a trail of flower petals behind her. Pairs of ponies followed, led by his cousin and Best Colt Braeburn. This was it. The point of no return. Big Macintosh began to sweat. In his younger days, he had been know for keeping calm under absurd circumstances, and not being afraid of anything. It was safe to say that he was more afraid now than he had been his entire life. Braeburn got into place besides Mac. “Don’t worry Coz,” He whispered, “Dash’s prob’ly just as edgy.”
Dash was curled in a ball behind the panels they set up, whimpering in nervousness. She was more afraid than she had ever been, even more than she had been before the Best Young Flyer Competition. The last of the couples left, walking the aisle, and Rainbow stood slowly, peeking out. She saw him, the large red stallion, dressed in a black formal tuxedo, tall and strong. Her knees rattled beneath her.
“Yeesh Dash, what crawled up your ass?”
Dash’s nervousness disappeared, replaced with the flame of an old rivalry. “Whaddyou want Gilda?” A fire burned in dash’s eyes as she turned to face her feathered enemy, but died as she got a good look of the griffon. Gilda wore a white dress, simple, and adorned with ancient griffons symbols stitched into the fabric.
“I came to make amends, alright? I messed up, big time. I came to make things right.” Gilda seemed genuinely apologetic. “I’ve been messing up relationships with everyone I’ve called friend or family for my entire life.” She rested a her talons gently on Dash’s shoulder. “You were one of the last friends I had. So whadya say? Wanna give it another shot?”
Dash couldn’t help but grin. “You know you’re not getting off easy Gilda.”
“I know. But hey, gotta start somewhere. ‘Sides,” She leaned in, wrapping an arm around the mare’s neck, “You’re pretty cool Dash.”
The two walked down the aisle, each on their way to a new life.
******
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Big Macintosh Apple, and Rainbow Danger Dash, in the eyes of Celestia, Luna, and all of Ponyville. We pray that they live long and full lives, filled with nothing but joy and happiness.
Big Macintosh Apple, do you take Rainbow Danger Dash to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, so long as you both shall live?”
“Eeeyup.”
“And do you, Rainbow Danger Dash, take Big Macintosh Apple to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, so long as you both shall live?
“I do!”
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
******
