Sora carried a few barrels full of apples over to the cart in Sweet Apple Acres, where there was another huge haul that was being delivered to Our Town. As incredible of a sale as it was with this kind of order, which had been made several times the past couple weeks, Big Mac was always eager to deliver the cart all the way there. The cart was next to the barn, where Apple Bloom was finishing painting it up with a fresh coat, at least from what she was able to reach with her size; Sora did the rest since he could fly up to the roof with ease.
"Hey, there, cowpoke." After setting down the last barrel, Sora looked behind him, seeing Kairi with his black stetson on her head while carrying a glass of apple juice in her aura. "Y'all lookin' a might thirsty, handsome."
"Why, thank ya very much, little lady," Sora said in a southern drawl like Kairi, the couple laughing as he took the glass and took a swig.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, putting down the brush and let the paint dry. "Hey, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle called out. The unicorn was joined with Scootaloo, both fillies pushing a box as they approached their farm friend. "Rarity's reorganizing her shop, and look what we found! Old costumes for the talent show!"
"We thought they'd come in handy in case we ever help out a pony put on a play or need to make a quick escape disguised as clowns," Scootaloo added, her statement disturbing Sora and Kairi.
"A quick escape from what?" Kairi questioned.
"Getting into trouble, obviously," Sora said, the three fillies digging into the box and wore a random costume piece: Sweetie Belle with joke glasses, Scootaloo wearing a rainbow afro wig, and Apple Bloom in a pirate hat. "Hey, that second option better not be a thing, you three! You're still in trouble for Scootaloo's slingshot idea!"
"Slingshot?" Kairi asked. Sora whispered to Kairi what happened that day, from meeting Rainbow's parents unexpectedly to Scootaloo feeling neglected, wishing she had her real parents and wanting the same kind of attention Bow and Windy gave to Rainbow Dash. He left out the part where he knew of Scootaloo's mother leaving her at her foster parents' home when she was a baby, but the Princess of Heart understood what Scootaloo was going through, even though the couple who took her in when she was transported magically to Destiny Islands from Radiant Garden as a little girl raised her like their own daughter. "Oh...Is she doing ok?"
"She's got all the support she needs from her favorite idol, her idol's obsessive parents, and the best older brother she's never had," Sora said with a grin.
"You do have a way with children," Kairi said with a giggle, giving Sora a kiss on the cheek.
"Yeah, well, these three fillies always give me the runaround, but I love them regardless of the insane antics they get into," he said. A moment later, Big Mac made his way to the cart with a smaller bucket of apples, making sure all the barrels Sora got for the big delivery were all there. "Everything's all set, Big Mac. Another big load of apples to the town that was formerly all about equality."
"Isn't that a pretty far walk from here?" Scootaloo asked.
"Eeyup," Big Mac answered.
"You've been goin' there a lot lately," Apple Bloom noticed. "Ain't this your fifth time this week?"
The red stallion closed up the cart, stalling slightly before he walked over to the other side to hitch himself, giggling nervously with a blush on his cheeks. "Eeyup."
That response, along with that laugh sounded odd to Sora. He knew Big Mac was always eager to make the delivery of apples to Our Town, but he was always more giddy than anyone should for a long trip to deliver something.
"You sure you want to go alone again?" Sora asked. "Might be a bit boring walking dozens of miles pulling a heavy cart. We could come along and talk about stuff to pass the-"
"NO!" Big Mac suddenly shouted, startling Sora, Kairi, and the CMC. Sweating nervously, Big Mac chuckled sheepishly. "Uhh, Ah mean, nnope. Ah got it handled."
"...Ok...Are you sure?" Sora asked.
Big Mac silently nodded, keeping quiet to avoid another outburst. While he hitched himself to the cart, Sora and Kairi walked over to the fillies, who were just as curious about Big Mac willingly volunteering to take a trip to Our Town, along with his sudden exclamation.
"That was...odd," Kairi said. "Why doesn't he want your help? Is it pride?"
"I'm...not really sure...but that look in his eye, and that blush," Sora muttered.
"I think he might be hiding something," Sweetie Belle said.
"And I think there's only one reason a pony would travel so far, so often," Scootaloo said.
"He's taking private skiing lessons!"
"He's training for a marathon!"
"Ah've been cookin' a lot of broccoli and he wants to get away from the smell!"
Everyone looked at Apple Bloom when she voiced her own strange reason. "...I don't know what you're doing with broccoli, Apple Bloom, but I'm not gonna be your taste test dummy if it's that bad," Sora said, making the fillies laugh.
Kairi put the pieces together, and she had a feeling her hunch was right. "Or...what if Big Macintosh is seeing someone he really likes, and he's using these deliveries as an excuse to see her?"
The CMC and Sora stared at the alicorn, her fiance finding her theory plausible. "Ah still think it's mah broccoli thing," Apple Bloom said.
"Why don't we just ask him?" Sweetie Belle suggested.
"No, you saw how shifty he looked," Scootaloo said. "There's no way he's gonna tell us what he's doing. Plus, I wanna go undercover. We already have the costumes! Call me 'Agent Rainbowhead'."
"I'll be 'Shimmering Spectacles', a librarian with a mysterious past," Sweetie said.
"And Ah'll be a pirate spy!" Apple Bloom said, then growled like a pirate with one eye closed. "A spy-rate!"
Sora and Kairi looked at each other, unamused by the three fillies' "creative" undercover names with their goofy costume pieces. The blank stares on the pegasus and alicorn's faces told them they weren't obviously gonna go off somewhere without anyone's permission.
"...Can we see what Big Mac's up to, Sora?" Scootaloo pleaded. "Aren't you the least bit curious to know why Big Mac goes there?"
"I am...but..." Sora looked at Kairi, unsure what she wants to do, but his overly curious nature made him wonder, if Kairi was right, who he was seeing in private. "...Kairi?"
Her eyes shifted to Sora for a moment before her horn lit up, pulling out a black bandanna from the box of costumes, tying it around her neck and covered her muzzle with it, matching her lover's hat she borrowed for today. "Call me the 'Bandit Princess', who hates the life of royalty and enjoys the thrill of robbing helpless ponies."
"Ooh! Good one!" Sweetie Belle said.
"You...really want to spy on Big Mac?" Sora asked Kairi, a little surprised to hear her actually going along with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
"I want to know who he's seeing," Kairi said. She pulled out another costume piece, a gold crown matching Sora's chain necklace he wears, placing it lopsided on the left side of his spiky head. "Now, come along, 'Prince Locksmith', my dorky sidekick! We got an apple farmer to rob!"
"'Prince Locksmith'?" Sora questioned.
"You're a master of picking locks, and you look like you make a handsome prince with that crown," Kairi said, pulling down her bandanna to stick her tongue out at Sora teasingly.
"Avast!" Apple Bloom gasped. "Our ship be leavin' port!"
"Huh?" Scootaloo said, confused by the pirate lingo.
Sora and Kairi looked down the road, Big Mac already heading off with the cart of apples. "Uh oh. There's goes our target!" Sora said. "Come on, girls!"
The five ponies quickly chased after Big Mac, the red earth pony stallion unaware of the extra weight climbing into the cart. Thankfully, he put a tarp over the apples so none of them would accidentally call out from any bumps on the road or any critters snatching some away. After the five spies snuck aboard, hiding under the tarp with the cargo, they waited out the long trip to Our Town to see just what Big Mac was so happy about doing these long-winded deliveries.
Back near the barn, Donald and Goofy wandered around, looking around for Sora. "Sora!? Where are ya!?" Goofy called out.
"This orchard is huge," Donald grumbled. "How are we supposed to find him on all these acres of land? We're supposed to be keeping an eye on him!"
Goofy noticed the box of costumes sitting in the middle of the ground, humming curiously as he dug around the silly accessories and costume pieces. "Was he planning a costume party?" the knight asked, letting out a chuckle as he pulled out a duck bill, putting it on and showing the mage. "Look, Donald, I'm you! Quack quack quack! A-hyuck!"
Donald sighed and shook his head. "Quit goofing around, Goofy!" Donald scolded. "The Organization could be anywhere, and they're hunting Sora! If we aren't there to help him, he'll be taken to Xehanort!"
"Well, we could always use that big map in the castle," Goofy suggested after taking off the fake duck bill. "Aqua showed me it can locate Keyblade wielders and Heartless so far. Maybe we'll see a dot of light somewhere, and it could be Sora."
"Then let's hurry back!" Donald ran off, Goofy following after him as he tossed the silly accessory back in the box.
It was a long, boring ride hiding in the cart for the five spies. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were a bit impatient, but Sweetie Belle kept herself occupied with a book of fairy tales she brought with her, which was also left in the box of costumes that was accidentally placed inside from Rarity's reorganizing. The cart finally came to a stop, making the stowaways wince when they heard Big Mac whistling, ready to unload the apples to the recipient.
"He's comin'!" Apple Bloom hissed. "Quick! Act like apples!"
"What?" Sora questioned. "How the heck do you act like an apple!?"
They didn't have much time before Big Mac pulled the tarp off of them, Apple Bloom stacking apples on top of everyone while they all sat as still as possible. When he reached for the single bucket, Big Mac barely even noticed the five ponies that hitched a ride in his cart, his eyes filled with hearts as he practically skipped off to the nearby building where he was sent for the delivery.
"...Either that worked, or Big Mac's a bit too distracted," Kairi muttered.
Sora, Kairi, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo poked their heads up, the Keyblade wielders surprised to see that the buyer for all these apples was none other than Sugar Belle.
"Who's that?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"That's Sugar Belle," Sora said. "So, this is the pony who's been buying all these apples."
Sugar Belle guided Big Mac inside her bakery, obviously happy to see him with the flirty gaze she gave him, and the big stallion was already swayed from his constant visits prior. With their disguises, even though Sora and Kairi were recognizable by the other ponies in Our Town, they snuck up to the window and peeked inside. They were shocked to see there was already a huge haul of apples from Sweet Apple Acres in a massive pile.
"Wow. She sure likes her apples," Apple Bloom noted.
"What's she gonna do with all those apples in there and what she just bought?" Scootaloo asked. "Make the biggest apple pie in Equestria?"
"Or maybe trying to find the right 'apple'," Sora said with an impish giggle.
"Thanks for coming all this way, Big Mac," Sugar Belle said. Big Mac nodded dumbly with a lovestruck giggle, his blush turning his red cheeks pink. "It sure is nice to see you again so soon."
She brushed her hoof against the stallion's yoke, giving him a flirtatious gaze. Big Mac just stared at Sugar Belle, giggling more as he had no words to say out of nerves and, in his eyes, admired the unicorn mare as a romantic glow seemed to emanate from her.
"Oh my gosh, this is freaking adorable," Kairi said, trying not to squeal and ruin the moment as they watched Big Mac's reactions around Sugar Belle. "He has a crush on her!"
"All I used to bake were boring old muffins," Sugar Belle continued, walking over to the rickety counter top, where an assortment of baked apple products sat on display. "But thanks to your apple deliveries, I get to bake all kinds of delicious treats! Apple pies, apple fritters, apple turnovers, caramel apples, caramel apple cakes..." She then sighed, looking at the overly packed display counter filled with all the different baked apple sweets she made. "I just wish I had more room to display it all. My shelves only hold so much."
The fillies looked at each other, still not able to piece together the two ponies' behavior. "...Ah'm tellin' ya, this pony really likes her apples," Apple Bloom said
"And she definitely has her eye on a certain macintosh apple," Sora said, snickering when the trio of fillies finally got what was going on.
Sugar Belle grabbed an apple pie, Big Mac behind her to help her set up her display more, only for her to turn around and gently bump each other's noses together. They both stammered, apologizing and giggling sheepishly. That was enough to convince them that Big Mac has a crush on Sugar Belle, and vice versa.
"Kairi's right," Apple Bloom said. "Ah think mah brother has a crush!"
"Apple Bloom, keep it down!" Sora quickly shushed, grabbing the filly and covering her mouth with his hoof. Her little outburst brought some attention from the other townsponies, but they shrugged it off and continued about their day. Big Mac soon walked out of Sugar Belle's bakery, wearing a goofy grin in his lovstruck daze. "Hey, casanova."
Big Mac shook his head, snapping out of his stupor, then looked to his right, where he was a bit surprised seeing Sora, Kairi, and his little sister and her friends. He raised a brow at their odd disguises, even though Sora's was just a crown sitting lopsided on his head.
"Now, remember, girls, mah brother's super shy, so he's probably gonna be embarrassed about his crush," Apple Bloom said to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in a hushed tone. She then took off her pirate hat, "revealing" to the stallion who the mysterious group was that knew him, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo following suit. "Big Mac, it's me! Apple Bloom!"
"I think he knows who we are, girls," Sora said.
"Eeyup," Big Mac said.
"And if you're wondering why we're here, we couldn't help but feel just a little bit curious as to your eagerness coming here anytime there's a delivery," Sora said. Taking off the ridiculous crown, he approached Big Mac, ignoring Apple Bloom's warning about the stallion being shy despite knowing he used to be a blabbermouth back then. "But, we can't help but wonder. Even Kairi...You got a crush on Sugar Belle?"
"Eeyup," Big Mac said without hesitation with a goofy, lovestricken smile.
"Wow. And no hesitation, too," Kairi said as she took off her "disguise". "Not like a certain fiance of mine."
Sora balked, nearly falling over as he turned to leer at the alicorn with a pout. "Hey, I had my reasons!"
"And I knew you liked me even before I decided to make the first move," she said, giggling at Sora's deepening pout.
"This is so excitin'!" Apple Bloom said. "Mah big brother has his very first crush!"
"'First' crush? What about Miss Cheerilee?" Scootaloo asked.
"It doesn't count when you try to trick a pony into drinking a love potion, does it?" Sweetie Belle said.
Sora quickly turned to glare at the fillies. "More like TRIED to get them to drink a love potion," Sora reminded. "Instead, Twilight and I drank it, and I almost killed Kairi while in that mushy heart state."
"Which you two carelessly drank," Kairi reiterated, making the pegasus stallion grimace, almost forgetting the stupid idea he and Twilight shared that Hearts and Hooves Day. She nuzzled Sora reassuringly. "You weren't yourself. I'm just glad that I managed to break that love potion's effects by surviving that long against your strongest."
"Doesn't help that I still feel guilty about doing that to you," Sora mumbled. "And I did worse to you with...you-know-what."
"But now you can control it, so take all of those moments as proof that I can handle myself if you ever turn to darkness," Kairi said, giving Sora a small kiss on the lips. "Or if you lose your mind from a spell or potion."
"Mah brother's got a crush!" Apple Bloom sang cheerfully, supposedly embarrassing Big Mac, but the red stallion was too lost in his thoughts to even pay attention to the display his little sister was making in front of everyone. "Mah brother's got a crush! Mah brother's got a crush!" She stopped her excited dancing, going over to her brother with a curious question. "Wait, does Sugar Belle even know ya like her?"
"Nnnope," Big Mac said with a shake of his head.
"What!? Ya gotta tell her!" Apple Bloom insisted.
"You couldn't be anymore obvious with how you feel about her," Kairi said. Big Mac stammered nervously, unsure what to even say to her, and he's a pony of few words. "Besides, I think Sugar Belle likes you back. She's not buying all those apples for her own culinary arts. She's using that as an excuse to see you."
"...You think so?" Big Mac asked.
"I may not be the Princess of Love like Cadence, but I'm a Princess of Heart, so you can consider that being close enough to telling," Kairi said. "Plus, boys aren't really the best at admitting their feelings to a girl they like, and we can't be anymore obvious giving hints that we really, REALLY want to be with you."
"Yeah, we sure a-" Sora paused, feeling duped from Kairi's explanation. "HEY!" She stuck her tongue out at him, the CMC giggling at his reaction. Sora huffed, ignoring his fiancee and brought his attention to Big Mac and his future love life. "Go back in there and tell her how you feel. You won't know until you try."
Big Mac looked through Sugar Belle's window, watching her work and felt a little determined to ask the mare of his eye out. "Ok!"
"Go get her, Big Mac!" Scootaloo cheered as the stallion picked up small blue wildflower nearby, hoping Sugar Belle will like the small gift as he asks her to be his marefriend.
Taking a deep breath, Big Mac knocked on her door, the others watching on the side with bated breath. Sugar Belle opened the door, her smile giving him indication she was always glad to see him, even for only a moment away from each other. After snapping from his stupor, Big Mac was about to speak, only for some random stallion to slide into him, shoving the farmer out of the way, startling him, his audience, and even Sugar Belle a little. His fur was a light gold, his mane and tail a moderate orange, the tips of his bangs a light amberish gray while it was styled in a way that made him look like a smooth-talking pretty boy. His tail was curled, almost hiding his cutie mark, which was a pink feather with two hearts beside it. The rude stallion flipped his hair, giving Sugar Belle a flirty gaze.
"Hey, girl," he greeted with a suave chuckle. "I was writing poetry by the pond when I saw these flowers." He then held up a bouquet of roses in the shape of a heart, making the dainty flower Big Mac had in his mouth wilt as he watched the other stallion schmooze over his crush. "I thought I'd show them how pretty you are."
"Oh! Thanks, Feather Bangs," Sugar Belle said, accepting the flowers, which made Big Mac feel dejected.
Sora, Kairi, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo's jaws hit the ground, baffled and infuriated seeing some random stallion they didn't know just waltzed right in and was snatching Big Mac's future girlfriend right from under his nose. "...Where the hell did THAT GUY come from!?" Sora questioned. Big Mac walked past them, but neither of them were going to let this go. They hurried after him, blocking him while he was wallowing in sadness. "Whoa! What are you doing, Big Mac?"
"Goin' home," he muttered.
"You can't let that Feather Bangs guy get in the way of your one true love!" Sweetie Belle said.
"You gotta take him down!" Scootaloo added.
"Yeah! And I know the perfect way!" Sora said, summoning his Keyblade and holding it out to the stallion. "Keyblades at high noon. Winner gets the girl."
"Sora!" Kairi scolded, smacking him upside the head. "This isn't like your random spats with Riku over something stupid...Even if he keeps teasing you about both of you winning my affections by one-upping each other."
"...Did you like Riku that way sometimes?" Sora asked, rubbing the bump on his head.
"My eyes were only on you, you doofus," Kairi scoffed. "I knew Riku was always getting under your skin, but not every fight over someone you love has to be settled with swordplay."
"Well, aside from usin' a sword, what can he do that you can't?" Apple Bloom asked her older brother.
"That!" he exclaimed, pointing at Feather Bangs, who was now showing off to Sugar Belle by juggling a couple balls in his hooves.
"These balls are like you: I'll always catch you when you fall," Feather Bangs said.
While trying to impress Sugar Belle, there were three mares who were watching him, swooning over his charming words as he caught the balls that stacked up on one of his hooves. Sora and Kairi stared blankly at the romantic stallion, wondering how that line was able to make three other mares feel weak in the knees when it sounded so corny, and all of his attention was on Sugar Belle.
"...How did that even remotely work?" Kairi questioned.
"I've done sillier stuff to impress you, and those weren't as bad as that," Sora uttered, his lover nodding in agreement.
"She'll never pick me," Big Mac sighed sadly.
"Sure she will, because we're gonna help ya!" Apple Bloom said, alerting the three older ponies as they looked at her.
"NO LOVE POTIONS!!!" Sora, Kairi, and Big Mac scolded, making the fillies wince.
"We weren't even thinking of that!" Scootaloo said. "We learned our lesson! And we don't even remember the ingredients or the recipe to make it anyway."
"Besides, I know EXACTLY what to do!" Sweetie said, pulling out the fairy tale book she was reading on the ride over.
"That storybook?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Yeah! When I was younger, I read all the stories," Sweetie Belle said.
"'Younger' as in 'while we hid in the cart'," Scootaloo pointed out.
"Well, I was younger then," the unicorn filly defended. Everyone gave Sweetie a look, some confused while others just smirked teasingly. "...It was a long ride! But, as long as we do what the book says, we're pretty much guaranteed to give Big Mac and Sugar Belle a happy ending!"
Sweetie Belle opened the book, showing a few illustrations from the compilation of stories it held. Sora and Kairi noticed that all of the stories were prince and princess related, where a dashing stallion prince rescues the damsel princess from dangerous situations, then getting together to live their happily ever after.
"Girls, I don't think you should use a fantasy book to help Big Mac get with Sugar Belle," Sora said, pointing at the picture of the prince fighting off a dragon to save the princess.
"Yeah, Sora's right," Apple Bloom said. "Too bad Spike ain't here. Not that he's very threatenin'."
The Crusaders giggled, imagining Spike trying to be scary and hold Sugar Belle captive while Big Mac saved her. "I don't think that's what Sora meant, girls," Kairi said. "These are just fairy tales. Romance stuff like that doesn't work like that."
"But aren't you a princess?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"...Well, yes," Kairi said.
"And Sora's rescued you many times, which makes him your knight in shining armor," Sweetie added, disputing the pink alicorn's claim.
Kairi stammered, trying to come up with a logical reason why fairy tale romance and real love is far different, but the filly had a point. She looked at Sora, hoping he would come up with an answer, but he was just as baffled, overthinking how their "story" had the same premise as fairy tale novels between a prince and princess.
"W-Well...I uhh," Sora stammered, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to think of a reason. "...I kinda had no choice but to go off to find Kairi and Riku when we lost our home. True, I did rescue her, but...I didn't know she was a princess at that time..."
"So it's sure to work!" Sweetie Belle summarized, both Keyblade wielders sighing and gave up trying to convince the trio of fillies at this point.
While they came up with a plan for Big Mac, Sora noticed something further down the road beyond the flirting Feather Bangs and Sugar Belle. Or rather, someone, and in a black coat; someone from Organization XIII. The shrouded pony was carrying a bag filled with books, ironically leaving a book store that was in the town and began making their way down the opposite end of the entrance toward the wasteland.
"What the...?" Sora uttered, watching the pony walk off.
"Sora, what's wrong?" Kairi asked.
He looked at her, then back to the cloaked figure, who was already out of sight. "...Uhh, I thought I saw a Heartless in town," Sora lied. "I'll check it out just in case there's an ambush. You make sure these three don't make too much of a mess with their schemes to get Big Mac and Sugar Belle together."
"You sure you can handle it if it's too much?" Kairi wondered.
"Kairi, come on. You know me," Sora said cockily. She growled with a leer, making him wince. "If it gets too hot for me to handle on my own, I'll contact you and you can back me up. Deal?"
"Hmmm...Alright," Kairi agreed. But before Sora left, she twisted his head back to look at her. "If these fillies plan to do anything life threatening to everyone and I'm the only one handling it, you owe me big time, mister."
"They'll behave. Right, girls?" The CMC looked at Sora as he emphasized his words.
His eyes shifted to Kairi repeatedly, pleading with them not to cause too much trouble for Kairi. "Y-Yeah! We'll be on our best behavior!" Apple Bloom said, Scootaloo and Sweetie nodding in agreement.
"...Ok then," Kairi said, believing Sora. She gave him a kiss before he set off to handle the Heartless. "Be careful, and don't hesitate to call me."
"I won't," Sora promised, then flapped his wings and flew off toward the wasteland.
Kairi watched him leave, only to feel Sweetie Belle tap her foreleg. "Can we borrow that bandanna you were wearing earlier?"
"...Why?" Kairi asked, already worried about what the filly had in mind.
As soon as Sora flew out to follow the cloaked pony, it wasn't too hard to spot a black-coated figure out in the brownness of the landscape. Keeping his distance, hiding behind sizable rocks to avoid being spotted, he followed his target to where the mountain Starlight used to hold the ponies' of Our Town's cutie marks, including his and his friends'. The pony was going along the same path leading to that very cave, but Sora didn't see any Snipers, or any kind of Heartless, Nobody, or even Unversed on the lookout, making sure no one gets close and spots them.
He waited a bit for the pony to enter the cave, then quietly continued tailing them, hiding behind a large stalagmite. Looking around, he saw another pony in a black coat, the one out for an errand run letting out a bored sigh and tossed the bags in front of their companion, too busy studying the shards shards of glass scattered around the ground, possibly the enchanted prisons used to encase everyone's cutie marks.
"Got you more of these dumb magic books you're curious about studying," the first one said, sounding masculine, but whiny and oddly familiar to Sora.
"For goodness sake!" the second one said, another male, though his voice was unfamiliar. In a light blue aura, the second stallion being a unicorn as he levitated the bag away from the shards he was examining, he smacked the other upside the head with it scoldingly. "I know you're not intellectual, but do NOT abuse tomes that have vital resources for my researches, and try not to destroy what's left of these enchanted shards right in front of me!"
"Ow! You're beating me WITH those books you just said not to damage!" the first stallion whined.
The second grumbled, pulling out the books and studied their covers. "At least this time you brought some actual spellbooks..."
Jiminy hopped out of Sora's jacket pocket, standing on his head as he too watched the Organization members bickering. "What do you suppose they're doing?" the cricket asked.
"I don't know. Probably learning about Equestria while also finding some way to capture me," Sora whispered. "I just hope they don't figure out how to steal away someone's powers and leave them helpless."
"We shouldn't linger here for long," Jiminy advised. "Besides, Donald and Goofy were supposed to be keeping an eye on you, and they'll be worried sick if they found out you ran into more Organization members without them by your side."
Sora knew he was going to get an earful from Donald, but Kairi did want to come out here to see who Big Mac was so eager to see. Just as he was about to leave and avoid getting spotted, the first stallion accidentally took off his hood while rubbing his head. His fur was a simple blue, though his hair was what made Sora balk: a pale brownish-tan color, though it was in an odd mullet style, several individual bangs falling over his face. The voice and hairstyle matched one of the worst Nobodies from the Organization he's ever faced, both good and bad as a fighter and as a choice for Xemnas's former group: Demyx.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Sora uttered, then silently chuckled while shaking his head. "I don't think I even need to worry about running, or calling for backup."
Demyx grumbled to himself while rubbing the growing bump on his head. "For a nerd, you're very abusive."
"And for an arrogant rock musician, you are a complete imbecile," the other Organization member said. "Why I was partnered up with you for reconnaissance and researching the magic of this world is beyond me. I'd do a much better job on my own, especially in the research part."
"Well, I'd rather do recon than get involved with trying to catch Sora, or find other potential members for Master Xehanort," Demyx said with a pout. "Three times, they tried, got so close, and failed because he had his friends there to save his skin: in the sleeping worlds, Marluxia's idea to hold those kids hostage on Christmas, and Vanitas teaming up with those bug pony things and almost succeeding, but he failed, too."
"Yes, the changelings are quite...interesting from the report that child made," the hooded stallion muttered to himself. "Their transformation is astounding...Like Heartless, but living beings relying on the energy from love, platonic, familial, or romantic: love coming directly from their victims' hearts."
"...How exactly do they suck it out of their hearts?" Demyx asked curiously.
"Magic absorption," the stallion quickly responded. "This is why you read up on things, and your opponents, so you can outwit them."
"And yet you got your butt handed to you by Sora in Castle Oblivion when you and the other traitors tried to use him for your own personal gains," Demyx reminded his partner.
It made sense to Sora if this other stallion was someone from the old Organization he didn't know, just like Marluxia. The other stallion growled, lowering his own hood to reveal his face. His fur was a lighter, paler blue compared to Demyx as a pony, though his hair was a platinum blonde, long and flowing down his neck, two long bangs hanging down the sides that framed his face. Jutting out from his hair was a long, thin unicorn horn, where the source of the light blue aura was coming from.
"The real traitor was Axel, and now that he's actually among the ranks as a Keyblade wielder, his betrayal is truly official," he said. "Never did appreciate his smug narcissism, even if he played along while in the Organization."
"You know, speaking of traitors, I heard there was actually another Nobody who was supposed to be in my spot back in that castle," Demyx said. "And that Nobody has joined up with Sora to help protect him...You know anything about that guy, Vexen?"
"Vexen?" Sora uttered, staring at the long-haired unicorn curiously. "This is the missing researcher Ienzo told us about?"
"I guess he really is with the Organization once again," Jiminy said, noting the yellow eyes Vexen and Demyx had. "Wonder what he was able to do if we forgot about him."
"Ah, yes. That Nobody," Vexen said. "He would have been a capable candidate had he not gained the intellect to defect before us 'traitors' planned our own schemes. If he stayed, I would have preferred him over you: the power of water, and able to take on eight Organization members at once without so much as cowering in fear."
"You're still on about me and how I behaved since I came aboard, aren't you?" Demyx questioned.
"Oh, and I gladly will express my disdain toward you and your lazy, cowardly methods of trying to get out of doing anything important," Vexen grumbled. "Speaking of, you didn't even bother calling any Nobodies to fortify our defenses in case someone decides to explore this mountain, have you?"
"None of those ponies in that town go out this way anyways," Demyx assured, though Vexen didn't appreciate the lackadaisical musician not taking any precautions to make sure their presence remains hidden from outside worlds. "Who would want to come out here?"
Vexen stared at his partner blankly, then tapped his hoof twice, summoning a group of Dusks, then pointed his hoof out toward the cave entrance, commanding them to keep watch. "Must I do everything?" he questioned. As the lesser Nobodies slithered off, when they rounded the stalagmite, the duo heard clashing sounds, startling them as they looked at each other in confusion. One of the Dusks flew back from behind the rising column of rock, smacking into the wall before fading into nothingness. Vexen then leered at Demyx, loathing his partner's lack of setting up security. "Apparently, someone was already here, spying on us."
"Darn right, I was!" Sora leapt out from his hiding spot, Keyblade in his mouth as he prepared to take on the two stallions.
"GAH! It's him!" Demyx screeched, quickly ducking behind Vexen. "How'd he know we were here!?"
"Not exactly subtle when you wear a black coat in a town of ponies who barely wear any sort of clothing at all," Sora said, making Vexen groan, dragging the cowardly musician out from behind him with his magic. "What's the Organization doing way out here? Come to try to make your base in Equestria at the end of the country to spy on me more?"
"More on the lines of research for my experiments, along with studying how far more advanced the magic in this world is compared to my own," Vexen replied. "If you're worried about us finding a way to capture you, I wouldn't dare risk failing until I'm definitely sure my own plan is sure to succeed one hundred percent."
"Because you two are the weakest ones in the group?" Sora asked with a smug grin. "Perfect. I can take out two of Xehanort's vessels and lower his numbers."
"Maybe when we fought you alone," Vexen stated. He then looked at Demyx, rolling his eyes seeing the water elemental musician shaking in fear. "I think we should take a page from your book, outnumbering you by one and combining our power."
"Y-You're crazy, right!?" Demyx exclaimed. He earned a hard nudge from his partner, his icy glare commanding him to fight back. Demyx hung his head miserably, having no choice at the point considering he was still lower in rank in the new Organization again. "Why me? Why can't they find someone else to do jobs like these?"
"I don't even know why you were even brought back," Sora said. "But at least I know what you can do, so I'm taking you down first!"
Demyx shrieked as Sora rushed him, quickly covering his face with his hooves as he prepared himself for a Keyblade lashing. Vexen thought quickly, his horn lighting up as he shot out his hoof, ice forming around his hoof as it transformed into a blue and silver shield on his foreleg, looking like an upside down teardrop with two oval-shaped pieces missing on the sides, five spikes lining the top of the shield with the middle one a bit bigger than the others. Bringing his free hoof up to his horn, he made his shield float away from his other leg, making it teleport over to Demyx, blocking Sora's Keyblade, catching the wielder off guard. Demyx looked up when he didn't get smacked into the cave wall, startled by Vexen's shield protecting him, then looked at the unicorn stallion, who had an intrigued glint in his eyes.
"Ah, incredible," Vexen said to himself. "As a unicorn, it appears my magic prowess has an increased percentage in strength, and I appear to be able to do more than originally."
Vexen telekinetically pushed Sora's Keyblade back, the pegasus flipping backward as he was shoved back from the powerful force. "A scientist using a shield?" Sora asked himself, seeing a puff of steam leave his breath as he felt the air grow slightly colder around him. "And he knows ice magic?...Guess that matches your cold personality."
"Heh. He's got you there," Demyx said to Vexen, only to receive a smack upside the head from the unicorn Nobody's shield.
"Don't just stand there making a mockery of me!" Vexen scolded. "Take my suggestion as an order and help me fend Sora off! I can't keep a hold of my shield's durability forever if I have to keep protecting your sorry behind!"
"Ugh, fine...even though I really don't want to." Demyx shot his hoof up in the air, streams of water shooting up from the sides to connect with his outstretched limb. The water formed the musician's signature sitar, giving it a twirl as he posed with the enchanted instrument, ready to play for the invisible audience. Sora knew what was coming next, and he didn't want to get stuck facing several water clones. He tried to rush the mullet-haired stallion, only to be bombarded with Blizzard spells from Vexen. "Dance, water, dance!"
Demyx played on his sitar, summoning several water clones around Sora. "I am getting sick of fighting clones!" Sora exclaimed, switching his Kingdom Key for the Keyblade of Generosity, seeing what kind of power this blade will generously offer him.
Striking the clones of Demyx, he got them to turn into music notes, snatching one and using them as a weapon, attracting the clones to easily destroy them. He followed by swinging it at Vexen, his shield blocking the rapidly whirling water note. Sora then unleashed a barrage of Firaga spells at the shield bearer, making Vexen grimace as it was practically a weakness to his element, and also his earlier demise in Castle Oblivion from Axel. The durability of his shield broke from the onslaught of flames, even with some of Demyx's clones gliding in to take some of the explosive magic fire's damage, staggering Vexen as his shield came back to his foreleg.
With one down, Sora focused on getting rid of the rest of Demyx's constantly summoning water clones, finally able to disrupt him before finishing his performance. "Darn! So much for that working!" Demyx said. Sora then unleashed the Element of Generosity's potential, holding it up in the air. The diamonds on the teeth and guard snapped off, hovering in an orbit around Sora and sparked with different elements: fire, ice, thunder, air, water, light, and darkness. The blade began to thin out and had ribbed edges like a unicorn's horn while shifting to that of a rapier, Sora standing on his hind legs with his left foreleg behind his back, his clothes now white with blue diamonds growing and shrinking all around his jacket. "...Uhh, that's...new..."
Vexen raised a brow curiously, recalling something new about Sora Ansem and Xemas had reported when they had their Nobodies attack Twilight Town. "Is this what he used not too long ago?" he uttered to himself curiously.
"...A-As if a wardrobe change is gonna scare me!" Demyx exclaimed, though Vexen let out a disdainful glower at him, always the most useless former member, and even more so now. The musician strummed a few chords, shooting several water bubbles at Sora. Just as they were about to hit him, the diamond emitting the water element shot forward, absorbing the magical attack. Demyx grimaced while Sora smirked cockily at him. "...But THAT!...That's scaring me!"
"Magic absorbing diamonds?" Vexen muttered. Testing his theory, he shot a weaker Blizzard spell at Sora, but the diamond emitting the element ice defended him and absorbed the ice spell. "And each one absorbs a specific element. Pretty good defensive strategy." His shield was replenished, hovering it back in front of him as he grew more curious as to what else Sora had up his sleeve. "Demyx, keep attacking him!"
"You're crazy! Why don't YOU do something useful to help me!?" Demyx exclaimed.
"I will cover you! Just do as I say!" Vexen ordered, his horn shining brighter as he enhanced his shield's defenses, creating a barrier around himself and Demyx.
"I'm gonna die," Demyx whined before giving in, dashing toward Sora as pillars of water trailed behind him.
Sora leapt to the side, keeping his stance as his movements were elegant, poised like a professional fencer. Demyx tried to smack the Keyblade wielder with his musical instrument, but even with a thinner blade, his swings were either dodging with barely any movement from Sora, or parried, knocking over his balance as random spells from the gems pelted him with each flick of his hoof. While Sora dealt with Demyx, at this point just mocking the pathetic musician and his way of fighting, Vexen observed Sora, his body hovering around the battlefield while keeping his concentration on keeping Demyx from getting too badly injured.
Sora turned to the former scientist of Ansem the Wise's, and with a thrust of his sword, he lunged directly toward Vexen, shocking him as Sora appeared to glide after him faster than he could blink. Keeping his defense up, the unicorn stallion was bombarded by shockwaves of magic energy from every thrust and swing of Sora's transformed Keyblade, threatening to leave him vulnerable and at the Keyblade wielder's mercy. Luckily, Demyx finally decided to be useful, separating the two with walls of water pillars, Sora quickly leaping back and turning to face the musician. He dodged more pillars as Demyx rocked out on his sitar, swinging his weapon wildly while trying to send him flying from the barrage of water walls he summoned.
Sora managed to avoid every single one, his form unphased even with what looked like a close brush with getting scraped by the pillars he narrowly avoided. "Ok, let's try this," Sora said, holding the horn-like rapier vertically in front of his face before thrusting it in the air.
The diamonds reacted as they crackled with energy, his sword breaking off into four segments, growing larger as they began merging with the diamonds, orbiting Sora faster and faster. They soon stopped, then he jumped and outstretched his limbs, the pieces of his blade connecting themselves to a hoof. The two at his hind legs turned into blue and white diamond ice skates, while the two on his forehooves turned into bladed gauntlets, the diamond knives billowing with a mix of every magical element his previous form's diamonds had.
"...Ice skates?" Demyx questioned. "Lame."
"Let's dance, Demyx!" Sora said, skating off toward the sitar-player.
Panicking, Demyx began playing his sitar again, summoning more water clones to protect him. Sora simply smirked, then struck the clones, unleashing waves of elemental magic with each swing or kick that either stunned, froze, or evaporated the clones with Thunder, Blizzard, and Fire energy respectively. This form made Sora's attacks look like a figure skating making a grand performance, even the skates released a trail of elemental magic depending on what type he used. Sora managed to snap Demyx out of his invulnerable sitar playing after beating the last clone, stunning him, then skated circles around him. He moved faster and faster, creating a cyclone that sent Demyx screaming, getting dizzy while also getting bombarded with Fire, Blizzard, Thunder and Water spells.
Demyx was then flung out of the cyclone, crashing into the wall behind Vexen upside down, letting out a groan as he fell to the ground. "...Can we run away now?" he begged.
"Not until you see the grand finale!" Sora said, dashing toward the two Organization XIII stallions through the dying twister.
Vexen put every ounce of magic in his defensive barrier, protecting Demyx, to his misfortune. Sora skid to a halt in front of them, splashing Vexen's barrier with some snow created by the icy trail left in his wake. Sora then stood on the tips of his skates' blades, holding both forelegs out, letting them wait in anticipation for the Keyblade of Generosity's "grand finale". With a leap, Sora began to spin in place, standing on one leg as he spun faster and faster in a pirouette. Vexen raised a brow in confusion, only to see an aura and magical energy around him, coming from his diamond gauntlets and skates. As Sora became a blur, he changed his pose to a layback, unleashing shockwaves of elemental energy in pulses, spreading all throughout the cavern, washing over Vexen's barrier around him and the slightly dazed Demyx. Each new element made Vexen wince, practically feeling the magic phasing through his protective spells as he felt each of their effects, making his aura waver and depleting his shield's durability. The last few pulses released both Light and Dark energy, which came back to Sora and shot back out before releasing a blinding flash and a powerful shockwave, nearly breaking off the stalactites on the ceiling of the cave.
Vexen was knocked back into the wall, along with Demyx again, but his barrier managed to break the impact as his energy wore out, dropping to the ground panting, keeping his shield in front of him to avoid staring at the blinding light. When the light began to fade, Vexen peeked around his shield, finding Sora in a lunging pose with his eyes closed, then began to stand up and bow to his audience of two, his Keyblade changing back to normal while giving the two Nobodies a cocky smirk.
"...Such power," Vexen mumbled.
"Want some more?" Sora goaded, shifting to several different Keyblades, showing them off as he wondered what else his other Keyblade can do with his Formchanges. "I got plenty of Keyblades to spare."
"Please...no more!" Demyx begged. "Uncle! I give!"
Vexen stood up, then let out a small laugh. "I think we've seen enough," he said. His horn glowed again, Sora quickly preparing to defend himself with whatever he had planned. While waiting, he noticed his vision was starting to get hazy, and the air was getting colder. Before he knew it, Sora was suddenly stuck in a sudden blizzard, the temperature dropping heavily as he was suddenly frozen solid, covered in ice. Vexen telekinetically snatched his new books, leaving behind the glass shards from the cutie mark vault as he called a portal of darkness, which Demyx quickly scrambled into. "I'll have to come back later to study this world more. And thanks for proving a theory of mine since your time in Twilight Town."
"W-WGHT!?" Sora exclaimed, unable to move his lips while frozen solid. Vexen turned and walked through the portal as Sora broke free, but he was too late going after them as the portal disappeared. He shook off whatever ice was on his body, letting out a frustrated grunt. "What did Vexen mean by that?"
"I'm not sure," Jiminy said, shuddering a bit since he also got hit by that blizzard with Sora. "At least you showed them what for...but I don't know if it was for good or for worse."
"Why were they so interested in studying Equestria?" Sora asked himself. He shook his head, pondering the Organization's ploy and Vexen's words, spending too long dealing with him and Demyx. "Let's just head back to town. Ienzo's not going to like to hear we found his 'unconscious' lab partner working for the Organization again."
Sora made his way back to Our Town, making sure that there might not really be an Heartless around after dealing with Demyx and Vexen. It didn't take long to find Kairi, Big Mac, and the troublesome trio of fillies as they huddled near the window of Sugar Belle's bakery. As soon as he got close enough, he could see the frustration in Kairi's face. Whatever the girls tried to make Big Mac do, he was definitely going to get an earful from his beloved princess.
"Hey, guys," he greeted. "I'm guessing no luck on Big Mac getting with Sugar Belle?"
Kairi glowered at Sora, then dragged him away from Big Mac and the CMC around the corner, wanting to talk to him in private. "...How?"
"How what?" Sora asked, confused.
"How do you tolerate their crazy ideas!?" Kairi exclaimed. "I could swear, if you were actually born here, and you were somehow related to all their families, I would believe those three are actually your little sisters!...Do they get that from you???"
"Heheh...Well...at least they didn't do anything too dangerous," Sora said sheepishly. He grimaced at the silence, Kairi still reeling over how the fillies' ideas so far were insane enough to even try to work. "...Please don't tell me they tried to get you to mug Sugar Belle in that 'Princess Bandit' persona you made up for fun."
"No, but you were close with how the first plan had gone," Kairi said, making Sora's jaw drop in shock. "So, Sweetie Belle thought that saving the damsel in distress from a dangerous situation was too much, but thought that getting back her stolen goods from a thief was better. Using the bandanna I used, along with every other costume piece we all had, Scootaloo was the 'disguised' thief who stole her saddlebags. Big Mac would stop her and give her stuff back like the gentleman he is, and get the girl in the end."
"And it didn't seem to work," Sora said. "What happened?"
"Feather Bangs snatched the bag right as it fell toward Big Mac's hoof and took the glory." Sora grumbled, Feather Bangs once again getting in Big Mac's way of being with the girl who won his heart. "That failed, so we went onto plan B..." Kairi grimaced as she began to tell Sora their next plan, which had also failed. "...Waking the sleeping princess under a spell with a magical kiss, then riding off into the sunset."
"They had Big Mac do WHAT!?" Sora shouted, horrified to believe Big Mac would go through with something that crazy.
"I know...and like the lovesick dolt he is, he went with the girls' terrible plan by acting like a creeper while Sugar Belle was taking a nap out on a hammock," Kairi added. "...What's worse is that they made him dress like a prince while doing it. Like the ones in those romantic fairy tales, all poofy and regal looking along with a cap with a feather, all of it in blue."
Sora shuddered at the thought of Big Mac in a getup like that, which sounds even worse than picturing him in one of Granny Smith's girdles. "Please tell me Feather Bangs saved him from that awkward wake-up call for Sugar Belle," he begged.
"Thank goodness he did, otherwise Big Mac would probably never be with Sugar Belle at all if he planted one on her," Kairi said as Sora sighed with relief. "He whisked her away in a fancy chariot, bumping Big Mac away...No idea where he got something like that, but either way, that plan was going to backfire in some way."
"So, now what's next?" Sora asked. "Something normal like simply asking her out?" Kairi made a few unsure noises, bobbing her head with how close or not his best guess was. "Oh wait, we're talking about the Cutie Mark Crusaders...What is it?"
"Serenading the girl with a song," Kairi said.
"Oh...That...doesn't sound that bad," Sora said. "Big Mac can sing pretty well, being in the Pony Tones, along with a couple songs I've sang with the Apples."
"Feather Bangs is soooo romantic." Sora and Kairi looked out on the road, finding the three mares who swooned over Feather Bangs walking by as they talked about the romantic stallion.
"When he speaks, I pretend he's talking to me," one of the other mares said, her friends agreeing with giggles and heavy sighs.
They could see Big Mac was feeling a little self-conscious as those mares reminded him how better Feather Bangs was as a romantic partner. Sora huffed, having had enough of the mare-stealer and help out his honorary big brother.
"Don't listen to those mares," Sora assured. "Kairi told me about yours and the Crusaders'-" He gave Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo a deadpanned leer, needing to sit them down for a talk about how romance works, even though he knew Apple Bloom was going out with Tender Taps back in Ponyville. "-idea to win Sugar Belle. Ignore Feather Bangs, because I believe your song is gonna wow her!"
Big Mac gulped nervously, but he was getting more desperate. With Sugar Belle distracted with her display counter and setting up her sweets, Sora, Big Mac, and the Crusaders snuck in through the door, Kairi lazily walking inside with a sigh.
"Why can't boys just tell a girl how they feel instead of follow through with stupid ideas to impress them?" Kairi muttered to herself.
The lights in the bakery suddenly turned off, startling Sugar Belle from her display as she looked around in confusion. "Kairi? What are you doing here?" she asked, spotting the alicorn at her doorway.
"I'm beginning to ask that myself," Kairi said with a sheepish grin.
A spotlight turning on alerted the mares, baffling Sugar Belle, knowing she didn't have any spotlights in her bakery. Sora adjusted the light, aiming it at Big Mac, who was standing on a small stage with a backdrop of a farm with two piles of hay between him. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo played some slow country music, fitting for the romantic serenading the red stallion was going to perform for his crush.
[Big Mac]
We'll take a walk down by the river
Watch the sunset from the field
The fillies helped with the stage, pulling down a cardboard sun to set the scenery for the lyrics in Big Mac's song.
We'll plant the seeds of love together
And water 'em right for a really good yield
Sugar Belle was a little bit weirded out at first, but she thought the song was really sweet, especially when she heard Big Mac sing, and had a lot more to say than the silent type he seemed to be. Kairi couldn't believe that this was working, watching Big Mac step down, hugging Sugar Belle and slowly dance with her, continuing his song while the CMC and Sora silently cheered.
Sugar Belle, sweet as pie
You're the apple of my eye
A cherry blossom in a field of rye
And when the heifer's milked and fed
And the pigs are in the sty
Won't you be there by my side?
Sadly, the serenade was interrupted by a certain stallion butting in on Big Mac's wooing. The spotlight shut off and the music changed from country to pop, the room lit up by smaller flashing lights above the stage. Standing on said said was Feather Bangs, along with three other stallions, who were apparently his backup dancers, friends, whoever they were, and he was ruining a perfect moment.
[Feather Bangs]
Oh, oh
Oh, ah-oh
When you appeared before me
My heart stopped beating
Stars crossed the sky
To come see what I was seeing
You were the one
That made me believe I could fly
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Sora grumbled irritably, facehooving as Feather Bangs made up his performance with a cheesier song. "When did he even walk in here!?"
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Birds could not sing
A song that's as beautiful
I'd do anything
That's irrefutable
'Cause you are the sun
Painting my heart in the sky (whoa-oh, oh)
Too stunned to even comment how Feather Bangs and his groupies came in unheard, two of the backup dancers snatched Sugar Belle away from Big Mac, forcing her up on stage as the rival stallion continued to impress her with his vocal talents.
Sugar, Sugar Belle, whoa-oh
When will you tell me that you feel the same?
Like an angel on a candy cane
Or the sunlight shining through a drain
Big Mac glared at Feather Bangs, getting fed up with someone else trying to take away his mare. It didn't help that the three mares who love Feather Bangs were inside as well, praising him as they enjoyed his performance for some other mare, barely even jealous of Sugar Belle. Big Mac stormed onto the stage, his aggressive stance making Feather Bangs back away after spinning Sugar Belle around, accidentally dropping off the stage on her back. Kairi could tell this was going to be even worse than Sora and Riku's competitive streaks, and she had a feeling Big Mac was going to channel Sora's level of jealousy.
[Big Mac]
Sugar Belle, when I look in your eyes
I see the color blue
Even though Apple Bloom tried to help her brother by emphasizing Sugar Belle's eyes with a pair of magnifying glasses, to the unicorn's annoyance, Sora and Kairi facehooved. "Her eyes aren't blue," Kairi muttered.
And it reminds me of the sky above
Uh, which is also...blue
Sora had managed to fix the light, only for it to shut down when the apparent music battle alternated back to Feather Bang's genre, growling bitterly as the other stallion cut in on Big Mac again.
[Feather Bangs]
Hey, hey, hey, yeah
Be my sugarplum
I will be your watermelon
Every time you smile
I can feel my heart a-swellin'
Blood is rushing from my head to my hooves, yeah
I start movin' when I'm feeling that groove, yeah
"That line made no sense!" Sora exclaimed. "That's it, I'm gonna get rid of him!"
"Sora!" Kairi quickly stopped Sora, holding him back with her magic. "You're not killing him!"
"I meant I'm gonna ram him off Big Mac's stage!" Sora reiterated.
Thankfully, Big Mac was the one who knocked Feather Bangs out of the way, but their competition to win over Sugar Belle baffled the unicorn mare, charming at first from Big Mac, but now it was only getting worse with all this attention.
[Big Mac]
I've been writin' this song for you
Searchin' for the perfect rhyme
For the words I wanna say
Somethin', somethin', somethin', somethin',...Be mine
"Well, at least that sorta rhymed," Scootaloo said, despite how desperate it seemed to come up with for Big Mac to make up more lyrics for his originally rehearsed love song.
"This is turning into a train wreck," Kairi groaned, rubbing her forehead, unable to bear watching this feud as the country shifted back into pop again.
[Feather Bangs]
Everyday I see you
I know you could be the one for me
Feather Bangs tried to dance with Sugar Belle, but the mare backed away, clearly having enough, but neither stallion seemed to notice she was done with this nonsense.
Feel my heart a-beating like
The rain upon a bumblebee
Don't you see that I could, uh-oh, uh-oh
Whenever you are near me, I'm so...uh-oh
"Ok, she's clearly done, guys," Kairi tried to say, but Big Mac and Feather Bangs kept on singing, Sora managing to break free from his lover's telekinesis and tackled Feather Bangs with Big Mac, who now had a banjo, giving it a few strums to his music.
[Big Mac]
Sugar Belle!
Roses are red and violets are blue!
Feather Bangs somehow managed to slip free of Sora, barely phased by his interference and got back up to interrupt Big Mac.
[Feather Bangs]
Sugar, Sugar!
My love is burning hot like a cheese fondue!
Big Mac and Feather Bangs began crowing Sugar Belle, each stallion holding out their respective flowers they tried to use to impress her before this duel to win her heart started, Feather clamboring over Big Mac with the help of his friends trying to pull the farmer back while Sora was pulling back the romantic stallion.
[Big Mac]
Sugar Belle!
[Feather Bangs]
Sugar Belle!
[Big Mac]
Sugar Belle!
[Feather Bangs]
Sugar Belle!
[Big Mac]
Sugar Belle!
[Feather Bangs]
Sugar Belle!
[Big Mac and Feather Bangs]
Sugar Belle!
The leaning tower of stallions ended up toppling over, Feather Bangs and Big Mac falling into Sugar Belle, along with her display case after backing the poor mare toward it while Sora and the others fell back after losing their grip. Pastries flew up in the air from the impact, Sugar Belle the only unfortunate victim of an apple pie to the face. Big Mac and Feather Bang winced at their blunder, Kairi rubbing the bridge of her nose with a groan, not expecting the outcome to be this bad. Sugar Belle stood up, pushing the two stallions off her, then turned to glare at them angrily after looking at the mess they made.
"What in Equestria has gotten into you two!?" she screeched. "If you think I'm the kind of pony that likes all this nonsense, then you clearly don't know me at all!" Big Mac and Feather Bangs opened their mouths to speak, but Sugar Belle stomped her hoof, making them flinch. "I just wish everypony would just...LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"
Both stallions frowned, their chances clearly dashed after the embarrassing display they made. Feather Bangs quickly fled with his buddies, not wanting to feel the wrath of an angry unicorn. Big Mac watched Sugar Belle turn away, staring at her ruined display case, now no longer able to show her treats to customers both local and out of town without paying someone to get it fixed, then walked away dejectedly, seeing there was no hope with her ever going out with him. Sora was about to say something, but Kairi quickly zipped his lips, ushering him and the Crusaders outside to find Big Mac and leave Sugar Belle alone for a little.
They lost sight of Big Mac, surprisingly fast for a bulky farm stallion to lose track of, but they found him alone outside town with the storybook Sweetie had, flipping through the pages sadly. "Big Mac, are you ok?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Nope," Big Mac muttered.
"Sorry it didn't work out with Sugar Belle," Apple Bloom apologized, feeling bad for ruining her older brother's chance of finding love.
"But I don't get it," Sweetie Belle said. "Big, grand gestures always work in the fairy tales."
Kairi sighed heavily, turning the fillies around to face her and explain it to them before Big Mac had. "Girls, those stories are just fantasy romance with a perfect happily ever after for the couple," she stated.
"But you're a princess, and-" Scootaloo started, but Kairi interrupted her.
"It's not the same!" she exclaimed. "Sugar Belle isn't a fairy tale princess; she's a normal pony! I was a normal girl before I realized I actually was a Princess of Heart! I know your hearts are in the right place, but romance isn't something you can try to force into working perfectly!...I should have stopped this nonsense before you came up with the first idea to get her and Big Mac together."
"Kairi has a point," Sora agreed. "Before Kairi and I first started dating, we grew up as friends. I had a big crush on her, but I was afraid to tell her back then because I didn't want to ruin the relationship we had as friends. I didn't admit it out loud, but...I guess I made it a bit too obvious while trying to hide the fact."
"There is such a thing as love at first sight, but true love doesn't really start until both of the couple get to know each other and build their relationship," Kairi added as Sora stood beside her, the two gazing lovingly at each other before they gave each other a small peck on the lips. "Our connection is something that can never be broken. Our love is special."
"Sure is," Sora agreed, nuzzling Kairi. The couple could see the girls were still confused about how love really works, but Sora knew Apple Bloom had her first taste of romance with a certain tap-dancing colt not too long ago on Hearth's Warming. He grimaced at the idea of seeing his surrogate little sister with another colt, older brother instincts threatening to kick in, but they had another example to give to maybe help the CMC understand what romance in real life was. "Apple Bloom, you're...still going out with Tender Taps, right?"
The farm filly blushed, giggling timidly. "...W-Well...Ah've been...s-seein' him sometimes," she stammered.
"What did you think of him when you first met him?" he asked.
"...Uhh...Ah didn't really," Apple Bloom admitted. "Ah was kinda...mopin' around, thinkin' Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were gonna leave me behind doin' stuff by ourselves...Didn't even notice he had a problem until they mentioned it. Heheh..."
"And don't think I didn't see you two together at Sugarcube Corner on Hearts and Hooves Day, enjoying..." Sora grimaced, swallowing the lump in his throat as his brotherly instincts flared up. "...Enjoying...your fffff...ffffffirst date with him." Kairi snickered when she saw how difficult it was for him to spit out mentioning Apple Bloom's date that day. "When were you interested in him then? Before, during, or...after?"
"Well, Ah didn't mind him hangin' out with me before Hearts and Hooves Day after Ah helped him get his cutie mark," Apple Bloom said. "Ah got to know him a little more, he got to know me, and then he admitted he liked me a whole lot than just friends when he asked me out..." Apple Bloom finally understood, seeing how different love can be for anyone couple. "...Oh...A-Ah think Ah get it, now."
"You do?" Sweetie Belle questioned.
"Yeah; relationships actually take time," Apple Bloom explained. "Tender and Ah learned about what we both liked, what else we enjoyed doin' outside of our talents, and doin' nice stuff for each other, like getting each other something we both really wanted. We should have been focusin' on that instead of makin' him be all heroic and romantic."
While Big Mac overheard them in silence, he gasped in revelation. "Ah know just the thing!" he said, immediately perked up, not giving up on his chance at love. "And Ah'm gonna need all your help!"
"Even after we messed up?" Apple Bloom questioned.
"Eeyup! Come on!" Big Mac ran on back to town, the others following him as he tried his own way to get Sugar Belle to like him again, as well as apologize for his behavior today.
As soon as they got back to Sugar Belle's bakery, the mare headed out to the store to buy more baking supplies, giving Big Mac the chance to go through with his idea. He snuck inside with the CMC and Sora while Kairi went after Sugar Belle to distract her. Scootaloo thought she should be the distraction, but when she suggested using their costume pieces, Kairi declined and told her to be on lookout for them when they got back.
She found Sugar Belle leaving the store with her groceries, the unicorn looking exhausted and miserable. "Hey, Sugar Belle," Kairi greeted.
"...Hey," she said glumly.
"So...that was quite a horror show earlier, huh?" Kairi said, making Sugar Belle huff bitterly.
"I had to clean up the mess those two made, and now I have nothing to display all my baked goods until I can get it fixed," Sugar Bell grumbled, then sighed while shaking her head in disbelief. "Why's today been so weird for me?"
"I kinda have a feeling I know what's been going on," Kairi said. "Two boys are fighting for your affection, winding up competing over each other to see who would win you over more."
"Oh...So that's why they've been acting so weird," Sugar Belle said. "But, no thanks to them, they wrecked my shop, and I have no display case to show customers all the goods I could make."
"Well, that's kinda how boys are sometimes; they're not very bright, and can do some really dumb stuff when it comes to fighting over a girl they both like," Kairi explained. "Trust me, growing up with Sora and Riku, I see that competitive recklessness from Sora whenever Riku teases him about going out with me or something else to get under his skin. Let's just be thankful Big Mac and Feather Bangs didn't beat each other to death to show you who would be your alpha male." She laughed a little at the silly thought, though Sugar Belle wasn't exactly thrilled if that idea ever came to both stallions' minds. Kairi was a little bit curious about who Sugar Belle actually like first and who started flirting with her before the other. "Sugar Belle, who was the first one who tried to hit on you?"
"Feather Bangs was the first," Sugar Belle admitted. "I mean, I do appreciate the kind gestures, and he's a really good poet, but I don't like him that way."
"Oh?" Kairi asked.
"I don't see why he fails to notice there are three other mares who like his romantic gestures more than I do," Sugar Belle huffed. "I really can't take that much attention in public without being embarrassed."
"Another thing about boys: they're blind to see there's other fish willing to catch the worm on the hook, but they're desperate to catch their Big Bertha." Sugar Belle giggled at Kairi's analogy. "But what about Big Mac? Do you like him?"
Sugar Belle's cheeks began to turn pink, biting her lower lip. "...Well, I know he's pretty shy, especially when we first met with my first order of apples for my treats. He's also a really good listener, and he even shared me a couple of recipes his family knew, and they were absolutely delicious. Big Mac may be all muscle, but he can be such a sweetheart."
"And I'm assuming that all those apples you ordered weren't just because you want to go on an apple baking binge," Kairi said with a teasing smirk. "You were looking at the bright red macintosh Apple out of the whole bunch."
"Heehee, yeah," Sugar Belle giggled bashfully. Her grin and blush faded as she sighed. "But I am a little bit mad at him still for going out of his way to try to impress me that hard. Why doesn't he just tell me how he feels?"
"Probably nerves, or maybe after Feather Bangs started butting in and lowered his confidence in himself," Kairi said. "Kinda didn't help that he also got some of these crazy ideas to get you two together from his little sister and her two friends, who have a pretty bad history of causing trouble when they try to help."
"Really?" Sugar Belle. It then donned on her, seeing a glimpse of a couple fillies she didn't recognize in town during the day. "Wait, was one of them the thief who tried to steal my bags?"
"In all those ridiculous costume pieces, yes," Kairi said. "They mean well, but they usually learn lessons like these the hard way."
The two mares reached Sugar Belle's home, Kairi hoping she gave Big Mac enough time for his surprise he came up with. Kairi opened up the door, hearing Scootaloo squeak.
"The cupcake has landed!" the filly shouted, making the alicorn snort, seeing she failed to do her part as lookout.
"Wait, what's going on?" Sugar Belle asked, walking through the door, surprised to see the CMC, Sora, and Big Mac in her shop. She looked at Kairi, who just laughed and pointed at Big Mac, the stallion stepping away sheepishly to reveal his quickly made project: a brand new display case, with two extra shelves to hold even more of her pastries than the single counter top that was broken earlier. "Big Mac?...You made me a new display case?"
"E-Eeyup," Big Mac stammered bashfully.
"And you made it bigger! You remembered!" Sugar Belle gleefully said, walking over to examine her new display case. "Now I have twice as much room for all my desserts!...Which means I can make even more! Oh, I've been dying to try baking cream pies and whoopie pies and icebox cakes and, of course, more apple treats!"
"Well, you have plenty of apples," Sora chuckled, only to wince as his ear was tugged by Kairi's aura, shutting him up and dragging him back toward her, keeping him from ruining the moment between Sugar Belle and Big Mac.
Sugar Belle walked over to Big Mac after admiring her new display case. "Oh, Big Mac, thank you so much. This is the sweetest thing anypony's ever done for me." The farm stallion giggled nervously, stammering a little. He tried to be humble, just doing it as an apology and willing to do anything for her, but Sugar Belle pressed a hoof to his lips, silencing his nervous explaining. "Hehe...I like you, too."
As she pulled her hoof away, Big Mac grinned hearing Sugar Belle felt the same way for him. The two moved closer and rubbed snouts, the stallion sighing dreamily, his crush now his marefriend. The moment was ruined when the CMC gushed at the romantic gesture, prompting both the engaged and new couples to look down at them while they looked up at Big Mac and Sugar Belle.
"That was the most romantic thing ever!" Apple Bloom said.
Sugar Belle gave the fillies a blank stare. "You three tried to help Big Mac impress me, didn't you?"
"Uhh, how'd you know?" Sweetie Belle asked as the three fillies looked nervous.
"I told Sugar Belle everything while 'distracting' her," Kairi said.
"Oh," the troublesome trio mumbled.
"As long as you learned your lesson, I'll forgive you girls, and my new big lug of a coltfriend," Sugar Belle said, giving Big Mac a sultry gaze.
The stallion accepted the playful insult, giggling dumbly as the couple stared in each other's eyes. Deciding to leave the two alone, Sora and Kairi left the building with the Crusaders.
"Well, that worked out pretty well," Sora said.
"Sugar Be-eee-eee-elle~!" Feather Bangs sang, making them wince as he tried to serenade Sugar Belle again solo, holding up a gramophone while vocalizing as the music playing from it slowed to a halt.
Sora growled, getting fed up with this stallion, but Kairi patted his shoulder. "I got this," she said, then approached the romantic stallion. "Feather Bangs, I don't think it's ever going to work out between you and Sugar Belle."
"Uhh, why?" Feather asked.
"Because she already has a special somepony," Apple Bloom said, pointing to the open doorway, where Feather Bangs saw Sugar Belle hugging Big Mac.
He sighed, feeling dejected losing the mare he had pined for. "And as much as she appreciated the attention from you, she was a lot more interested in Big Mac when they first met," Kairi said.
"Oh," Feather Bangs uttered sadly.
"But, that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of fish in the sea," Kairi added, turning the heartbroken stallion's head to face his three not-so-secret admirers. "And there's three girls over there who seem very interested in you."
The three ponies waved at him while giggling, one of them winking to him. Feather Bangs blushed, never realizing there were other mares who liked him, gulping nervously, which seemed odd after how calm he was when wooing Sugar Belle.
"Uhh, w-what should I say to them?" he asked.
Sora, Kairi, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo stared dumbly at Feather Bangs, but Sora broke the silence as his eye twitched. "...I'm sorry, but what!? 'What do I say to them!?'"
"You're asking us for advice? On how to talk to a girl?" Kairi asked, also baffled, including the CMC.
"Y-Yeah. I mean, I can mane flip, write poetry, and juggle, but actually talking to a pony? It scares me almost as much as loneliness," Feather Bangs said.
Sora fell over with an exasperated yell, unable to believe what he just heard. "Oh boy," Kairi uttered, facing the fillies and leaned down to whisper to them. "And this is why boys are dumb when it comes to expressing their feelings to someone, whether it's a friend or someone they really like."
The Crusaders giggled at Kairi's claim. Sora got back up, stomped over to Feather Bangs with a forced grin, his eye still twitching irritably.
"Well, then why don't you use that 'bravery' you had with Sugar Belle, and implement that into talking to them?" Sora questioned, first pointing at Sugar Belle, who nuzzled Big Mac, then pointed at Feather Bangs's admirers. "You didn't have any trouble schmoozing her, so I don't think you should have an issue when you have three, count them, THREE, girls who have the hots for you!" Feather Bangs stammered, his lack of a response making Sora growl. "Dude, they already like you, and love your dumb tricks to try impressing Sugar Belle, your poetry, and your singing voice. Just get to know them, and let them know the real you...if what you did today IS the real you."
"A-Are you sure?" Feather Bangs asked nervously.
"Oh for the love of-" Sora quickly turned the stallion around, then gave him a push, sending him stumbling over to the trio of mares. "He's all yours, ladies!"
The mares squealed excitedly, catching the off-balance stallion and began crowding him. Kairi pouted, staring blankly at her fiance for the dumb stunt he pulled. Feather Bangs was a little bit nervous at first as he was guided away by his adoring fans, but with how easily won over they were with his attempts flirting with Sugar Belle, his nerves waned slightly as they began asking him to hear more of his poems.
"...You make a great wingman, Sora," Kairi said sarcastically.
"At least he's finally out of our hair and won't get between Big Mac and Sugar Belle again," Sora said.
Kairi sighed and shook her head. "Boys," she uttered.
Their ears perked up when the heard a faint sound outside of town, which got louder as it got closer. "What's that?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Sounds like a duck choking on crackers," Scootaloo said.
"Wait, I recognize that sound," Sora said. They looked down the road, spotting a small white griffon speeding toward them. "Is that...Donald!?"
Sora got his answer, the griffon mage slamming into stallion at full speed, sending them tumbling over halfway down the road. Ponies backed away before they got bowled over while startled by the squawking griffon's entrance. Sliding down on the road was Goofy, riding on his shield, enchanted to grow and turn into a makeshift sled, slowing to a halt beside Kairi and the three fillies.
"Hello, girls," Goofy greeted, getting off his shield as it disappeared in a flash of magic light. "Finally found Sora."
"Goofy? What are you and Donald doing here?" Kairi asked.
"We were gonna stick with Sora after he was done with his chores back at the orchard, but he kinda left without letting us know where else he was going," Goofy explained. "Since Sweet Apple Acres is pretty big, we went back to the castle to see where he might be. But, because that magical map is able to point out where you guys are as bright white lights, there was one here, another up in Canterlot, and one more in a different part of Ponyville."
"Right...and I'm gonna take a guess and say you came here last?" Kairi asked. Goofy nodded, making the alicorn giggle sheepishly. "Uhh...I guess it's my fault. We got a little bit curious about Big Mac coming here, sneaking in the cart and figuring out what it was. But why didn't you just ask the others to contact us so you knew where we were much faster?"
"They were a bit busy with their own things, and Donald with his temper, he rushed off before I could get a word in edgewise," Goofy said with a chuckle. "Ven was in Canterlot hanging out with Moon Dancer, Riku was still resting, and Aqua and Terra were out on a little date. Didn't want to impose on those two, a-hyuck!"
"Is Ventus dating Moon Dancer?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously. "Maybe he can get some dating advice from us!"
"He said it was a friendly get-together when we saw him," Goofy corrected. "It was a little surprising meeting Moon Dancer; she looks almost exactly like Twilight when her hair's down."
"Twilight has a twin sister?" Scootaloo asked.
"Not really, but they could pass off as twins," Goofy said. They heard Donald squawking, yelling at and scolding Sora while jumping on his chest after recovering from their daze. "Uh oh. He's definitely getting an earful now."
Goofy, Kairi, and the CMC approached Sora and Donald, Sora looking really annoyed while Donald was still chastising him and continuously jumping on his torso. Kairi came to Sora's rescue, levitating the quacking griffon off of him, even as he continued with his tirade.
"...and I'll make sure I keep a tracking spell on you so you don't try to run off without telling us!" Donald exclaimed, ending his spiel with heavy panting.
"How many times have I tried to apologize while you were acting like a mad duck!?" Sora exclaimed. "It wasn't my fault!"
"Yes, Donald, it was mine," Kairi said. "Don't blame Sora."
The mage grumbled, still fuming, though he was just worried the Organization could take one of his friends away, and that friend was important to Xehanort's cause. "We'll ask Aqua if she can make us those crystal communicators so that way, if we ever do get separated from Sora again, we'll keep in touch quite easily," Goofy suggested. "But the good news is that the Organization didn't show up this time."
"...Uhh, heheh...yeah," Sora said, glancing away nervously as he sat up. He looked at Kairi, his reaction unnerving her, Donald, and Goofy. "...Remember when I said I thought I saw a Heartless lurking around here, Kairi?"
"Yes...?"
After a bit of silence, Sora told them what happened out of town, and his encounter with Demyx and Vexen. While they were surprised to know about two more ex-Organization XIII members had returned, it was discovering Vexen, or Even, was back with the Organization, and he was the one Ienzo warned them about when he disappeared. Despite Sora coming back unscathed, it didn't help assuage their worries when he promised Kairi he would call her if there was any trouble, especially concerning the Organization if they showed up. The alicorn dropped Donald, who squawked in surprise, then backed away with Goofy, sensing Kairi was not happy with her soon-to-be husband right now. Even Jiminy hopped out of Sora's jacket pocket, standing on Goofy's shoulder.
"Hehehehehe," Sora giggled sheepishly, trembling slightly from the cold, deadpanned stare he was given by his lover. "...At least...they weren't all that tough to handle?"
"Mhmm," Kairi muttered, then grabbed a firm hold of Sora's hoodie with her aura, slowly dragging him off to a nearby alley.
"Ummm...help?" Sora squeaked.
"Sorry, Sora," Donald said. "You're on your own."
Sora whimpered as he and Kairi disappeared between the buildings. A few seconds later, there were some hard thwacks, along with Sora crying out in pain, begging Kairi while apologizing profusely, which failed as he continued to get pummeled by his fiancee. There was silence after what lasted for an eternity, Kairi walking back out with Sora dragging along behind her, several bumps growing on his head while his eyes spun in a painful daze. She lifted the unconscious pegasus into Big Mac's cart, then turned to face Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
"Also, when you have a coltfriend, always keep them in line if they fail to keep a promise they can easily keep," she advised. "And if they do something reckless, like getting into a fight with some dangerous people who are after him and not choosing to run away or let me know so I can help protect him, then beat it into them until they get it through their thick skulls."
"Is Sora gonna be ok after all that?" Apple Bloom asked worriedly.
"Oh, he's fine," Kairi said. "He gets knocked upside the head by me for years. Now, let's get back home and report what just happened to Aqua."
While Kairi got the girls into the cart, Big Mac came out after relishing the beginning of his relationship with Sugar Belle, the new couple already learning about each other's schedules and plan for them to meet up with each other for a date or two. They all began making their way back home, Sora regaining consciousness halfway through the trip, keeping his head down and mouth shut or else receive more bumps on the noggin from Kairi. Sora flinched when Kairi sidled up beside him, laying her head on his shoulder and held him tightly. He knew he deserved the clobbering, but he also knew why she did that; she was worried about losing him again. He wrapped a wing around her, resting his head gently against hers, promising her he wasn't going to go off on his own after any Organization members again.