Reckless Abandon

Chapters

Chapter 1: In My Dreams!
Chapter 2: Summer Wind
Chapter 3: Storm In A Teacup
Chapter 4: Summer
Chapter 5: Clouds Race Across The Sky
Chapter 6: Með Suð í Eyrum [With A Buzz In Our Ears]

Chapter 1: In My Dreams!

The weather was perfect for her. The blue pegasus loved not only the setting sun in the distance as it painted the Equestrian sky a colorful mixture that matched her mane, but she also loved the few clouds that dotted the sky. The mare bolted across the sky, moving from one cloud to the next in a race against herself. Her eyes squinted from behind her goggles, picking up more speed. As if she was using the clouds as both checkpoints and obstacles, Rainbow Dash flew quickly around leaving a streak of rainbow across the atmosphere.

Slowing down, Rainbow Dash looked at the land below her. She saw Sweet Apple Acres sitting below her. With a smirk on her face, the pegasus flew down in for a landing, circling around the farm a few times as she lowered herself down. Rainbow looked at the ground, noting the shadows of the apple orchards seemed to stretch across the ground. Following the shady dirt path she landed on, she began trotting towards the barn.

Working in front of the barn, a red stallion was taking barrels inside. Dash saw the stallion and made her way over to him. The red pony also noticed the pegasus trotting up to him. Both of the ponies exchanged glances and smiles to each other.

Rainbow Dash was the first to speak, “Hey, Big Mac.” She lifted her goggles up and off of her eyes, resting them on her forehead, flattening a bit of her mane against her coat.

“Good evenin’, Miss Rainbow Dash,” Big Macintosh greeted back, smiling gently to the blue mare as he moved another barrel, prepping it to be moved inside the barn.

A light pink tint brushed across Rainbow Dash’s face at his words, “How, uh, how are you doing today?”

Pausing in his work, Big Mac turned his attention to the pegasus, “Ah’m doin’ quite fine. Jus’ finishin’ up some of mah day’s work. And how ‘bout you?”

Rubbing a hoof against the back of her head, Dash recalled her day to the stallion, “Oh, ya know, nothing all that special. Just did some good old fashion cloud kicking in the morning and then some racing against some of the slowpokes that I work with,” her face was still slightly flushed, “And this afternoon I was just flying around until right up until a second ago.” Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the rainbow dyed sky, “I really like flying around at this time of day. Celestia’s sun makes the sky look like some sort of painting or something.”

“That it does, Miss Rainbow Dash,” Big Mac smiled, looking up at the sky with her, “It’s really quite lovely, ain’t it?”

Dash focused her gaze back to the stallion before her, “It really is.” Her expression was one of both happiness and longing. Big Mac gave a warm smile to the mare, causing her to fidget in embarrassment and blush a darker shade of pink. “Hey, um, if you need to get back to work or whatever, I could leave so you can get it done if ya want,” Rainbow shifted her glance to the side, avoiding eye contact with the red stallion.

Taking a step forward, the stallion brought a hoof up to Rainbow Dash’s chin, moving her head back to it’s where it was previously, “Now why would ah want ya ta leave, Miss Rainbow Dash? Ah always enjoy ya stoppin’ by.” Big Mac’s smile was just as warm as ever to the pegasus.

“H-Heh….well, I really like seeing ya, Big Mac….” Dash was starting to trip over her own words with her reply.

The two looked into each others eyes longingly for what seemed to be an eternity. Slowly, the two had their faces close the gap between them.

Rainbow Dash was shaking at the thought as well as the action that was happening before her. Leaning in, she closed her eyes and waited patiently for her partner. The anticipation was bothering her.

Something interrupted the moment, however. A very loud ringing echoed through Rainbow Dash’s head. Opening her eyes, she saw the ceiling of her bedroom. Sitting up, she found herself on her bed. Looking to the source of her sound, she saw her alarm clock going off. Hitting the clock to stock the noise, she raised her other hoof to her head.

“Ugh….stupid dream….” Rainbow mumbled. She threw off the covers of her bed and laid across the bare mattress. She sat back up and noticed her pillow had been kicked onto the floor, “Did I kick my pillow off again?” She didn’t bother to answer her own question. Instead, she laid her body back down on her bed and muttered to herself, “Why did I have a dream about him again? Ugh! This is so stupid.”

She hit her head with both of her hooves, “Why does this keep happening to me? I mean, what is this, the tenth time I’ve had a dream like that since? Guh, it’s so dumb and stupid. It’s….dupid!” Dash felt that she had to make up a word to express her anger and frustration.

Hearing the shouting, Rainbow Dash’s pet tortoise flew into her bedroom on his mini-copter. He hovered over Rainbow’s bed and looked at her.

Dash sat up again and faced her tortoise, “Oh, hey, Tank. Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout like that or anything. It’s just….things have been really weird in my dreams. It’s been like this since we hung out one night. It was after those Flim Flam Brothers came to town and made a mess of things. We just….you know, talked, hanged out, and cleaned up the farm. Uh, actually, he did all the cleaning. But, he shared his own personal stash of apple cider. It was….just really cool, ya know, Tank?”

Tank was silent save for the sound of his copter that kept him propelled in air. He moved around a bit from side to side.

The pegasus continued with her statement, “I don’t know. I guess that I just saw him as someone different, ya know? I mean, for once, I saw Big Mac as more than just as Applejack’s brother and somepony that works on the farm. I saw him as a pretty awesome stallion. We made such an awesome team against those stupid Flim Flam losers.” Rainbow watched her tortoise hover around the room. She sighed, “Maybe I’m losing it? What do you think I should do?”

Tank continued his moving around Dash’s room before flying out of her room entirely.

“Maybe, I am….” Dash sighed, crawling off her bed, “I think I should talk to somepony about this all of this.”

Trotting out of her room and stretching her wings out and open, Rainbow Dash yawned. She was quick to leave her house and glide down to Ponyville and into the warm summer day.

Chapter 2: Summer Wind

Celestia’s morning sun was starting to warm the land of Equestria. One blue pegasus was feeling the vibes from celestial body. Her wings tingled from the warmth as she glided down to Ponyville. Landing in the bustling town square, she looked amongst the busy ponies for a familiar face. However, she was unable to find one and the cacophony of sound made it hard for her to even focus.

“Grrr….stupid ponies….” Rainbow Dash mumbled under her breath, “can’t even look around for somepony without a huge crowd getting in my way.”

The wind blew at Rainbow’s mane, playing with her already messy, bed head mane. She took a deep breath of the passing breeze, getting a pleasant scent of apples in her lungs. Looking to the direction that the wind was coming from, Dash saw apple trees in the distance.

“Well, I could go to the source of my problem, I guess,” she said to herself. Trotting through the crowd of ponies, Dash started to head toward Sweet Apple Acres.

It was still fairly early in the morning, about nine in the morning. Finally getting out of the busy town, the pegasus started trotting down an empty path through a grove of trees. Rainbow Dash noticed that the morning dew was present on a few of the trees, coating the branches, leaves, and apples. The morning sun had yet to get warm the orchards yet. The pegasus’ ear perked up at a strange sound that could only be described as clicks.

Getting closer to the barn and home of the Apple family, Rainbow Dash saw a familiar face. While it was not exactly the pony she wanted to talk to, it was a pony she felt it was as good as any place to start.

“Hey Applejack,” Rainbow trotted up to her friend.

“Well, howdy there, Rainbow Dash. What brings ya ‘round these parts?” the orange earth pony greeted with a smile.

“Nothing really, just stopping by to see what’s up and all,” Dash spoke, kicking the dirt below her hoof, “By the way, what is that weird sound I heard coming in the farm? Sounded like a bunch of weird clicks or something.”

“Oh, that would be the cicadas,” Applejack described, “Every summer they come along an’ make their music ‘round the farm. The season would be very odd without their singin’, if ya ask me.”

Dash muttered, “Well, I find them kind of annoying….”

Applejack laughed slightly at Rainbow Dash’s comment. She then looked at her friend’s crestfallen state, “It seems like yer feelin’ out of it. Well, ah know it might be none of mah business, but it seems somethin’ has got ya more down than a dog without a bone.”

“Is it that obvious that something’s up?” Dash asked.

“Well, it’s a bit of a talent ah got of noticin’ when somepony’s feelin’ down,” the blonde mare used her hoof to raise her hat up to get a better view of the pegasus in front of her, “Wanna talk ‘bout it?”

With a heavy sigh, Dash moved around to sit down on one of the barrels just outside of the barn, “Uh, sure….um….” she was very hesitant of starting, unsure of how to explain the situation.

Applejack gave a small giggle, “Take yer time, sugarcube. Ah understand that startin’ is the hard part.”

Dash looked down at the dirty ground, “Applejack, what would you do if you wanted to tell somepony something, but were afraid to even say anything?”

“Come again?”

“Like,” Rainbow Dash explained, “if you wanted to do say something special to a certain pony….would you tell them it, or would you just not say anything?”

“Well, if we’re talkin’ ‘bout me, then that’s a little hard fer me since ah’m the element of honesty,” the orange mare explained.

“That’s not what I mean, AJ. I mean, putting the element thing aside, what would you do?” Rainbow Dash restated her question.

Thinking about the issue, Applejack replied, “It would depend on who it is, of course.”

“What about if it was….was somepony that was a relative of your friend?” Rainbow nervously expanded the situation.

“Ah’m not sure, Rainbow. Ah guess ah’d just say try an’ say somethin’ when the time seemed right, ya hear what ah’m gettin’ at?”

“But what if what you had to say was just so embarrassing and junk that you would die if you just said it to them? Wouldn’t it just kill ya?” Rainbow asked yet another question to her earth pony friend.

With the wind messing with her blonde mane, Applejack replied, “Yeah, it might be embarrassin’, but at least ah would have gotten it off mah chest.”

“I guess you have a point….”

“Again, ah understand that this is a bit of a private matter an’ all, but ah still don’t know what yer problem and or why it’s botherin’ ya so. What is it that’s got ya more knotted up than a lasso?” Applejack was very concerned about her friend.

The pegasus looked back to Applejack, “You haven’t figured it out?”

“Nope. But if yer some scared of embarrassment, then maybe you should just let sleepin’ dogs lie,” the orange mare suggested.

Rainbow wasn’t convinced by Applejack’s advice, “I don’t know about that, AJ. I mean, I feel I have to do something about it.”

“Then what’s stoppin’ ya, do somethin’ ‘bout it.”

“But I’m too scared to! Okay? I admit it,” Rainbow Dash blurted out, defeated, “I really am….”

Applejack smirked, “There’s no shame in bein’ scared ‘bout somethin’, Rainbow. It’s what makes us ourselves. Ah mean, if ya weren’t scared, that would be quite strange.”

With a groan of annoyance, Rainbow Dash hopped down from her seat on the barrel, “This is getting really getting dumb. I need to talk to somepony else about this.”

The orange mare shrugged, “Well, hope ya figure out somethin’ ta do about yer problem, Dash.”

“Thanks. And, uh….sorry about bothering you with my stupid problems,” Rainbow Dash began to trot away from the farm, feeling the summer wind blowing against her coat.

“Not a problem, Rainbow Dash, what are friends for?” Applejack nodded towards Dash.

Rainbow nodded as she took off and flew up into the sky. She headed back in the direction of Ponyville, hoping she could find another pony to talk about her issue. As she soared towards the town, Dash couldn’t shake the thought of Big Macintosh from her mind, causing her to blush slightly.

Chapter 3: Storm In A Teacup

Rainbow’s mind was stuck on Big Mac. She couldn’t help but be bashful at the thought of the red stallion. As she flew through the air, the night in which she and Big Mac shared cider replayed over and over in her head. This led to Dash hit her head with a hoof to have her stop thinking about it.

“Stop it, Rainbow Dash,” she scolded herself with a bonk on her head, “You’re not some sort of stupid, love struck filly….” She continued to fly back toward the town, trying her best to think of anything else except the red stallion that had filled her nightly dreams. Rainbow sighed, “I need some help about this. I guess the egghead might know something about this.” Banking on her flight, Rainbow Dash took a turn to the Ponyville Library, hoping the purple unicorn would be present.

Dodging trees and buildings, the blue pegasus navigated her way through the town and to the library. Upon landing near the door, Dash’s ear twitched again. She could hear the same noise that she heard while trotting to Sweet Apple Acres. It was the cicadas making a clamor with their ‘singing’, as Applejack called it.

“Dumb bugs….” Rainbow Dash said quietly. Their sounds were starting to get on the pony’s nerves the more she heard it.

Trying her best to ignore the insects, Rainbow Dash knocked on the door of the library.

“Just a moment, please!” a voice called out from inside. The door opened to reveal a small purple and green dragon, Spike, “Hiya, Rainbow Dash!”

“Hey, squirt. Is Twilight in by chance?” the pegasus asked, looking down at Spike.

“Yeah, she’s inside having a cup of tea with Rarity, come on in,” Spike spoke, moving aside to allow Dash to trot through.

“Uh, thanks,” the instant that Spike mentioned Rarity, Rainbow Dash began to have second thoughts about talking about her issue.

At the table in the center of the main room, the two unicorns were sipping tea and chatting amongst themselves. Twilight Sparkle looked over her shoulder and saw Rainbow trotting in. “Oh, Rainbow Dash, welcome! Come in, come in, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Hey….um, I have something I wanted to talk to you about, if that’s cool and all,” Rainbow looked away as she spoke, rubbing one of her hooves against the other front limb.

“Of course you can, dear,” Rarity insisted happily.

“And….uh….can we just talk….the three of us?” Dash added.

Twilight nodded as she looked toward her assistant, “Spike, could you do me a favor and go out to get some more groceries?”

“Aw, can’t I stay and listen in?” Spike asked, not wanting to miss out and whatever it is they were going to talk about.

Before Twilight could say it, Rainbow Dash replied fast and firmly, “No.”

The dragon shrugged, “Alright, alright, I’m gone.”

After waiting for Spike to leave, Rarity spoke, “So, Rainbow Dash, what is it that is on your mind?”

“Before I say anything,” Dash began, “You both have to promise not to say anything to anypony else about this, got it?”

Both unicorns nodded as Rarity replied, “Our lips are sealed.”

“I….think I have a crush on a certain somepony….” Rainbow admitted.

While it caught both of them of guard, they both seemed to be very happy.

“That’s wonderful, Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said.

“Simply wonderful, darling! Just a moment, I’ll get us some more tea and then we can talk more about it!” Rarity stood up from her seat and trotted with the tray with the tea kettle back to Twilight’s kitchen. Along the way, she began singing a light tune, “This thing, called love, I just, can’t handle it….” She then hummed the tune as she came back into the room with the tray of fresh tea and clean cups.

Rainbow Dash sighed, “This is what I was afraid of, this becoming some big deal….”

“This is kind of a big deal if you think about it, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight claimed.

“But why did she have to be here?” Rainbow pointed to Rarity as she placed the tray down on the table.

Lightly humming, Rarity used her magic to pour tea into the cups, placing a cup down in front of each of them. The aroma of green tea filled all of their lungs. “Oh, how I just love girl talk! Now, don’t spare any detail, Rainbow. I want to hear all about it!”

“I can kind of understand what you mean now,” the purple unicorn stated.

“Hush, Twilight, I don’t want to miss a thing!” Rarity stated before turning her attention to the pegasus. “So, whose the lucky pony?”

Rainbow Dash looked off to the side. She raised up her cup of tea to her mouth and mumbled her reply with a sip, “Big Macintosh….”

Rarity squealed happily at the answer, “Oh, that is simply marvelous, Rainbow! He’s such a gentlecolt!”

“How did this come about?” Twilight asked, taking a drink from her cup.

“I guess you gals want to know of how this all started. Well, back when those Film Flam phonies were here. After we ran them out of town, I went to go talk with Big Mac. I thought he would be at the party with everypony else, but turned out he was back on the farm cleaning up the mess we all made,” Rainbow explained, carefully piecing her story together. She paused for a sip of her tea before she continued, “We just chatted for a bit, nothing all that much, but then out of nowhere, he got his own personal barrel of apple cider and shared it with me.”

“My, that’s quite an honor for you to have Big Mac to have shared his personal barrel of cider with you,” Twilight pointed out.

The white unicorn began to squeal, “Oh, how romantic! That’s just lovely, isn’t it?”

Rainbow resumed, “But, it doesn’t end there. For quite some time now, I’ve been having reoccurring dreams that involve Big Mac. Like….romantic dreams, ya know? Just last night, I had one where I was flying around above the farm. I landed and talked with Big Mac for a moment and the next thing I knew, we were about to kiss and junk.”

“Fascinating,” the purple pony remarked.

“Oh, if only I had a dream like that with the one I want to be my special somepony,” Rarity mused.

“I’ve been having really weird ones, too. There was one when I was falling from out of the sky, like my wings wouldn’t move. And then, out of nowhere, Big Mac flies in on some wings and saves me. It was really trippy,” Dash took another drink of her tea, looking down at her cup.

“Hmm, it could be something in your subconscious as the source of those dreams,” Twilight suggested, recalling a book she had once read.

“I don’t think finding the source of the problem is the issue here, Twilight,” Rarity stated, “I believe that our lovely little Rainbow Dash is wishing for a certain red stallion to take charge and be her knight in shining armor.”

Twilight nodded, “That could be it.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash stood up from her seat, her face flustered.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, darling,” the white mare explained, “in fact, I personally think that all mares secretly wish to have a certain somepony to come on in and sweep them off their hooves. I know I would, what about you, Twilight?”

Twilight giggled slightly, “Well, it does sound kind of nice.”

Rainbow Dash’s face was red, “This is not what I came here to talk about! I’m here to ask the two of you on what you think I should do.”

“You want our advice on your attraction to Big Macintosh? Gee, I don’t know what to say to help,” Twilight admitted.

Rarity thought for a moment before speaking, “I think I know something that might help you out, Rainbow. You need to come to terms with yourself.”

“Huh?” Dash gave a puzzled look to her friend as she sat back down.

“The way I see it, Rainbow Dash, you are having trouble admitting your own feelings to yourself. Everypony knows you are one of the toughest ponies in Ponyville. But the problem I think you have is that you find it hard to face the fact that yourself that you have a soft side within. It’s completely fine to have one, darling,” Rarity explained, “There is nothing wrong with it.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t reply. She stared down at her teacup, stirring it slowly with the tip of her hoof.

“Have you talked to anypony else about this?” Twilight asked, taking note of the pegasus’ action.

“I went to Applejack earlier this morning, but I didn’t tell her that it was Big Mac or anything like that,” Dash continued stirring her tea cup, looking at the liquid move in a circle.

“I think you should tell her, Rainbow,” the purple unicorn insisted.

Rainbow’s face turned red again, “Wh-What?”

Rarity chimed in, “I agree with Twilight on this. I think it would be helpful for you to express how you feel to Big Mac’s sister. Applejack can help us with this, but you have to let her know.”

“How can she help?” Rainbow bit back.

“She is Big Mac’s sister, she might know a thing or two about him,” the purple unicorn commented the obvious sarcastically.

“Oh….right….duh.”

“Rainbow, it couldn’t hurt to tell Applejack about this. In fact, why don’t you?” Rarity asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Well, I guess I could….” Rainbow said shyly.

“Wonderful! Then I wish you luck then, Rainbow Dash! And please let me know how it goes with Big Macintosh!” Rarity seemed to be giddy at the thought of her friend having a relationship with Big Mac.

“Uh, thanks….I think I’ll see myself out now….” Rainbow Dash shuffled her body a bit.

“Why don’t you stay and relax, Rainbow? I promise we won’t just talk about you,” Rarity offered, “Before you arrived, we were talking about some of our favorite books. You’re more than welcome to join in.”

“It might help you get your mind off your dreams and stuff,” Twilight suggested.

Rainbow thought of what her unicorn friends said. With a smile, she made herself comfortable in her seat again, “Sure, why not? It might be what I need to get my mind off everything.”

Chapter 4: Summer

Leaving the library, after spending a good portion of the day with Rarity and Twilight talking about different things, Rainbow Dash entered the late afternoon of Ponyville. With Celestia’s sun coloring the sky a wide palette of colors, the citizens of the town leaving their work and heading back to their homes, and the warm air turning cool, the entire town seemed to change. Shivering slightly with the chill in the air, the blue pegasus began to trot back to Sweet Apple Acres with a goal set in her mind.

Dash had a plan. With the advice from her unicorn friends, she was going to tell Applejack how she felt about her brother. She wasn’t against the idea of telling her friend, though she was afraid of what might come from it. ’This will be easy as pie,’ Rainbow spoke in her head, ’All I gotta do is tell AJ that I’m crushing on Big Mac. How bad can it be?’ The determined look upon her face quickly vanished as she answered her own question, ’Well, she could laugh….she could hate me….she could even tell me to say nothing….oh my Celestia, what if she does tell me to not to like Big Mac? That….That would just suck….oh dang, why does this have to be so hard to do?’ The more she thought about it, the more Rainbow Dash was hating the idea of confronting Applejack.

Along the dusty path to the farm, Rainbow Dash passed a few worker ponies heading into the town. She exchanged the friendly greetings, nodding to them and what not, but kept her lips tight. She grew more and more anxious as she got closer. Her ears perked, yet again, at the sounds of the cicadas that echoed throughout the grove of trees. She softly growled in annoyance at the buzzing of the insects.

Arriving to the barn, Rainbow saw her blonde maned friend wheeling a cart into the barn. Galloping to get her attention, Rainbow called out, “Yo, Applejack!”

The orange earth pony turned to see the pegasus, “Well, howdy, Rainbow Dash! Give me a sec, ah just need ta get this cart offa me.” Her words were thick with the accent that she was known for.

“Alright, no worries,” Dash replied, stopping her gallop a few meters before the barn door. She was thankful she had a few more moments before having to talk to Applejack about her issue.

Emerging from the barn, Applejack welcomed Dash with a smile, “So, what brings ya ‘round the farm twice in one day?”

Rainbow carefully selected her words, “I need to talk to you….about something….”

Applejack nodded, “Alright. How’s ‘bout we talk it over with a mug of cider?”

“That….actually sounds really good right now,” Rainbow admitted.

“Ah knew that would be to yer likin’,” the orange pony smiled, trotting over to her home.

Rainbow Dash waited patiently on the porch for Applejack, who came out with two mugs of apple cider. The smell alone caused Rainbow’s mouth to water.

“So, what’cha got on yer mind?” Applejack asked, passing a mug to the pegasus.

As she took the mug, Rainbow’s ear twitched. the cicada’s sound still reached her ears, “You mean other than those stupid bugs?”

Applejack laughed, “Come on now, ya can’t be mad at the cicadas. They bring us the summer sound that we know and love.”

“I don’t know about love….” Dash gritted her teeth.

“Just listen. Them little critters are signing to one another. It’s their matin’ calls,” the orange mare explained.

“Mating calls?” Dash echoed to herself.

“So, what is it ya wanna talk about, Rainbow?” Applejack smiled.

Dash took a big drink of the cider. This caused her head to spin slightly. Shaking it off, she finally replied, “It’s….well….something personal….”

“Like what?” the blonde maned mare took a drink of her mug as well.

Dash paused a moment. She looked up to see Celestia’s sun setting in the distant, painting the sky a rainbow of colors, “Remember how I said that I had something to say to a certain pony?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I want to say something to them, I really do, but I feel that I just can’t bring myself to do,” Rainbow kept looking out from the porch.

“Still tongue-tied, are ya?” Applejack asked.

“It’s not like I want to be, AJ. I’m just….”

“Scared?”

Rainbow Dash was silent.

“Look, ah know that whatever this problem has got ya more tied up than a hog,” Applejack began, “An’ ah want ta help ya, believe me ah do. But with ya bein’ so cryptic an’ all, ah can’t do a thing to help.”

Rainbow looked down at the porch itself, “You want me to be honest?”

“Only if ya want to say it.”

“AJ,” Dash closed her eyes, “I think I’m in love with your brother.”

A deafening silence was between the two ponies. However, the distant sound of the cicadas was still audible. Applejack looked toward her friend in bewilderment. Rainbow, on the other hoof, continued to hang her head.

The calm was broken with laughter. Rainbow looked up to see a laughing Applejack, doing her best not to spill her cider. This caused the pegasus to blush heavily. She took another big drink of her cider and spoke, “St-Stop laughing….it’s not funny….”

“Ah think it is!” the orange mare said in between laughs.

“Sh-Shush….” Dash tried to stop Applejack.

Finally catching her breath, the earth pony spoke, “Ah’m sorry, that was mean of me ta laugh like that, but….heh. it was too good.” She snorted lightly in her fit.

“Applejack, I mean. I really do like Big Mac, a lot,” Rainbow’s face was a bright red as she spoke her words.

“May I ask how this all came ‘bout, Rainbow?” the orange pony managed to finally stop her laughing and focus herself back to the conversation.

“It was after we all helped stop those Flim Flam dorks. I stopped by the farm and saw him cleaning the arm up while everypony else was back at the celebration party. I….watched him for a bit and we started talking. I told him that we made an awesome team….ya know, working together on that treadmill thing?” Rainbow carefully placed her words, her face still flushed, “Well, it was just really cool talking with him, ya know?”

“Ah still can’t see mah brother talkin’ much, but ah’ve been wrong before,” Applejack lightly joked.

“He did, I mean, we did. We talked for a while and….it was really cool. I’ve never would of thought that he was so cool. He even shared his personal barrel of cider with me. Heh….we kind of downed the entire barrel that night,” Dash gave a nervous laugh to accompany her red face.

“Hmm….so that explains why his barrel was gone the next,” Applejack said to herself before speaking to Dash, “Well, ah’m happy ya told this ta me, Rainbow.”

“Huh? Really? Why?” Rainbow asked simultaneously.

“Yer mah friend, Rainbow Dash. An’ ah think it’s really somethin’ that ya told me that ya are keen on mah brother. It shows yer quite the pal. But ya still hafta tell Big Mac ‘bout this,” Applejack stated.

“Yeah,” Rainbow sighed, “Not looking forward to that, to say the least.”

“That’s why ah want ya ta tell him before the end of summer?”

“Say what?” the pegasus tilted her head in confusion.

“Ya heard me. Ah want ya ta tell Big Mac how ya feel,” Applejack gave a smirk.

“But, why? Why are you doing this to me?”

“Because,” Applejack stated with hint of pride in her voice, “if ah don’t make ya do it, nopony will. An’ ah know ya wouldn’t do it on yer own.”

“I so could do it on my own!” Rainbow became defensive.

“Really?” the earth pony took a drink of her cider.

Rainbow thought about it for a moment and answered, “Fine, you’re right about that.”

Applejack gave a self-satisfying laugh, “Well, ya got a week ta do it. Summer ends next week, ya know.”

“I know, I know,” Dash acknowledged with an annoyed grunt, “Ya know that it’s times like these I hate you, right?”

“Yer jus’ saying that,” Applejack teased the pegasus with a laugh.

Chapter 5: Clouds Race Across The Sky

With her new ultimatum, Rainbow Dash had one week to confess her feelings. She was actually okay with having a deadline, that was not the problem she had. Instead, it was the act itself that she was worried about. Facing Big Macintosh and admitting her feelings to the stallion was the problem she faced.

The thought of Big Mac bothered her all week. Whether it was when Rainbow Dash was with her friends, kicking clouds and moving the weather around Ponyville, or just at home with her pet tortoise, Tank. Often Dash would be absent minded, missing what a pony would say or even just tune ponies out entirely only to be shouted back into reality.

Despite her mind being occupied by the red stallion, she was unable to confront Big Mac. It was not because she didn’t try, as she would visit everyday during the week. Her fear got the best of her, however. Often, she would hide in a cloud, looking down on Big Macintosh as he worked throughout the farm. She would whisper to herself words of encouragement, planning out how she would handle the situation. Rainbow could never bring herself off of the cloud.

After one of those attempts, Rainbow Dash returned to her home. Upon entering, she was greeted Tank, who bumped himself into her head.

“Ouch….” Rainbow mumbled, rubbing her hoof to where the tortoise hit her, “Well, a hello to you too, Tank….”

The tortoise continued to whir around on his mini-copter. He gave a tired smile to the pegasus.

With the smile from her pet, Rainbow Dash returned the smile, “Aw, how can I hate an awesome pet like you.” She gave a playful hit to her pet.

Tank flew around the room as Dash trotted through her home. He crashed a few times against the walls, causing Rainbow to snicker a bit.

“You always know how to make me smile, Tank,” Rainbow said before sighing, “And Celestia knows I need it right now.”

Hovering near Dash, Tank looked at the pony.

The blue mare started to explain, trotting to the balcony, “It’s that stallion. The one I’ve been having dreams about again and again, Big Macintosh. He’s just….always on my mind.”

Dash and Tank went out to the balcony. He hovered next to Rainbow Dash as she stared out, looking at the clouds being blown in the wind.

“I just don’t get it, Tank. I mean, he’s a really cool pony, I can give him that. It’s just, I don’t get why I’m just head over hooves in love with him. Sure, he’s really kind and sweet. I know from just hanging out with him that one time. And, yeah, he’s kind of awesome when it comes to things like working. I….have to admit….he’s pretty attractive and all that junk….” Rainbow Dash blushed heavily as she looked toward Tank. As her pet tortoise looked back at her, she added to her statement, “D-Don’t give me that look, Tank! B-Big Mac is a real gentlecolt a-and stuff….”

Tank blankly stared at Rainbow Dash. He drifted side to side on his copter.

Dash sighed and turned back to the watching the clouds racing each other, “Applejack’s deadline thing is tomorrow. I have to tell Big Mac or….well she didn’t say what would happen or anything, but she told me she wants me to do it myself. And again, I really want to tell him….I just don’t want to look like a complete mule, ya know?” She hung her head, “I don’t want to make things weird for us. I know we never had that much interaction or whatever, but I really value him as a friend. If I screw up everything….I’d just hate myself.”

Tank landed on top of Rainbow Dash’s head. He carefully settled down on her multi-colored mane.

“Tank, I gotta do it. I know things might get weird, but I just have to do it,” Rainbow looked up see Tank’s head peering back down at her. She gave a small smile back to him, “If nothing else, I will still have you around, won’t I?”

Chapter 6: Með Suð í Eyrum [With A Buzz In Our Ears]

The next day, Rainbow Dash went about her daily routine. Waking up, working with other pegasi on the weather patterns, stopping by Sugarcube Corner to visit with Pinkie Pie, and taking her daily nap on a cloud. All just part of an average day for her. But in the back of her mind, a small notion was eating at her. She knew she had to, by the end of the day, admit her feelings to Big Macintosh. Rainbow knew she had to, though she just didn’t want to. She kept pushing the idea further and further back in her mind, but it kept being persistent.

When the late afternoon came about, Dash knew she was running out of time. The pegasus made her way to Sweet Apple Acres. She trotted along the path in hopes to take up as much time as she could, putting off the idea even more. Yet again, however, her concentration was broken by the sounds of cicadas in the grove of trees.

“Again with these pests?” Dash quietly said to herself, “What is their deal?” Without answering herself, Rainbow Dash continued her way along the road.

At the barn, Rainbow saw Applejack rolling a barrel around the ground. The earth pony saw her friend arrived and nodded toward her, “Howdy, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hey, AJ….um….do you know where Big Mac is at?” the pegasus nervously asked.

A smirk appeared on Applejack’s face, “Waitin’ til the last minute ta tell ‘em?”

“Sh-Shut up….worry about yourself….” Dash’s face grew flushed.

The orange mare laughed a bit more, “Well, ah last saw him out in the orchard, buckin’ some of the trees, getting’ ready fer the upcomin’ season.”

“Okay….thanks….” Rainbow said, turning to trot into the grove.

“Hey, Rainbow.”

Rainbow Dash turned to look at Applejack.

“Good luck, partner.”

The pegasus smiled, “Thanks. Celestia knows I need it.”

“An’ so do ah.”

Rainbow Dash trotted into the grove of trees, intent on finding the red stallion. She was nervous, more so than she ever had been in her life. Dash had raced against some of the best flyers in Equestria, she had competed in competitions that only housed the greatest of the great, and she was even named ‘the fearless flyer’ by her superiors. And yet, Rainbow Dash was scared like a little filly to just talk to Big Macintosh, the stallion she had feelings for.

Hearing the sound of hooves against tree bark, Rainbow found Big Mac amongst the trees. Taking a deep breath, she carefully stepped forward and made herself known to Big Mac.

“H-Hey, Big Mac….” Rainbow spoke, almost tripping on her greeting.

The red stallion looked toward the pegasus and nodded, “Afternoon, Miss Rainbow Dash.”

“What’s….uh….” she tried to speak, “What’s up?”

“Jus’ practicin’ my apple buckin’,” Big Mac said in a low voice.

“Oh, cool….” Rainbow replied, “Heh, kinda reminds me when we hung out that one night. Ya know, after we kicked those Flim Flam Brothers flank? Just the two of us out in the trees, talking and stuff.”

“Eeyup.”

Dash nervously laughed, “Heh, it was a pretty awesome time….”

Big Macintosh nodded.

The two ponies stood in silence among the towering trees. Big Mac looked onward at the blue pegasus, who could barely look back. Dash stared down at the dirty ground below her, rubbing her hoof against her other front limb. While the words were on Rainbow’s tongue, she was unable to bring herself to speak.

Interrupting Rainbow Dash’s concentration was a sound she grew to hate more and more, the sound of cicadas. The chirping of the insects quickly grew on the pegasus’ nerves.

Oddly enough, it was the stallion who spoke first, “Such a calmin’ sound, ain’t it?”

“Huh?” Rainbow looked up.

“The cicadas. Their buzzin’ is a calmin’ sound ta me, remindin’ me of the summer and all of the memories the season holds,” Big Mac spoke with a small smile on his face.

“Memories?” Dash inquired, “Like what?”

Big Mac closed his eyes as he replied, “Well, when ah was a young colt, ah used ta collect the little cicadas durin’ the summer months. It was somethin’ that ah looked forward ta every year. An’ when the end of summer came, ah tried mah hardest to find all of the cicadas ah could before they all disappeared. Ah loved the song they sing an’ it jus’ reminds me of simple things,” the stallion opened his eyes, “Ah’m sorry, ah didn’t mean to ramble on like that.”

“Oh, no, it’s cool. No worries,” Rainbow replied. She never had thought that Big Mac would have such a hobby as a colt. While she wasn’t exactly a fan of the cicadas, she found it adorable that Big Mac was fond of the little insects.

“Ah jus’ find their buzzin’ in my ears quite a wonderful sound,” Big Mac mused lightly.

“Yeah, it is a really nice,” Dash commented.

Big Mac tilted his head slightly, “Is there somethin’ on yer mind, Miss Rainbow Dash?”

“Uh….um….well, actually yeah, there is,” Rainbow admitted, looking back down at the ground. She hesitated for a few moments before finally speaking again, “Big Macintosh….I….well….I like you. A lot.”

The stallion looked on at the pegasus, “Beg pardon?”

Rainbow’s face grew flushed. She raised her head to look back up at Big Mac, “You heard me, I love you! Alright? I admit it! I’m head over hooves for you!” Her cheeks were burning red.

“Goodness,” Big Mac was at a loss for words, “Ah don’t know what ya say.”

Rainbow Dash looked away from him, “Well, h-how do you feel about me?”

Big Mac didn’t answer right away.

The pegasus continued, “Look, I understand if this is sudden, weird, and all of that junk. It’s just that I really do like you. Well, obviously more than just that. I’ve liked you for quite a while, since that time we shared cider. You’re just a really cool stallion, Mac. I really just….I don’t know….look, if this is too weird for you, ya don’t have to answ-”

“Ah like ya, too, Miss Rainbow Dash.”

“Huh?” Dash looked up in surprise.

“Ah like ya as well,” Big Mac repeated with a smile.

“R-Really?”

“Eeyup.”

A huge smile appeared on Rainbow Dash’s blushing face. She squealed as she slightly bounced up and down. She looked like a complete fool, but she didn’t care, had never been happier.

These actions caused Big Mac to laugh, “Heh, forgive me fer sayin’ this, but yer kinda cute when yer like that.”

Rainbow stopped her hopping around and turned to look at Big Mac, her face burning red, “Sh-Shut up….”

Big Mac smiled as she trotted over to the pegasus. Surprising Rainbow Dash, he wrapped his front limbs around her, “Thanks fer the new summer memory.”

Blushing a deep red, Rainbow Dash returned the hug, “Y-Yeah, of course.” She tightened her hold on her stallion.

As the two embraced, Celestia’s sun sank below the horizon and the cicadas ceased in their buzzing.

END