//------------------------------// // Marriage?! // Story: Keeping Secrets // by Stunt Monkey //------------------------------// Boxing was lost in another nightmare state, the dream had come less and less since the first. The same old dream; floating, hugging, kissing, and then melting. "Oh look, another weird dream... Why can't I just once have a dream about rainbows and happiness." Boxing's voice echoed, he walked over to the melting water fountain. "That's it! I'm in control! I'm not going to the magic show, I'm sitting here until I wake up." he huffed and crossed his hooves. "Boxing!" The familiar voice shouted. Nope, I'm not here Sunny, go away. "Boxing, there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you." Sunshine shouted as he flapped his wings and slowly floated towards Boxing. Sunshine landed beside his lover. "Come on, your going to miss The Great and Powerfu-" "NO!" Boxing shouted. "I'm not going to that stupid magic show, you'll just melt." "Melt?" Sunshine snickered. "You know I only melt with you." He giggled. "Sunny. Your not real, see this goo I'm sitting on? It's supposed to be a water fountain." "Boxy... That is a water fountain." And sure enough when he craned he head behind him, the warping stone had moulded itself back to it's original form. "Oh, by Luna's Mane! Wake me up!" "Luna? What's a Luna?" Sunshine asked. "The Mare in the moon? Saved from corruption by the bearers of The Elements of Harmony?" Boxing said, Sunshine tapped his chin with a hoof. "Hmmm... Nope." "Oh, right, that hasn't happe- Wait! What in Tartarus am I even doing, you are me! Your inside my head, I'm asleep and your just my imagination." Boxing protested. "Okay, then wake up." Sunshine replied. "What?" "If you are really asleep then wake up." He folded his arms as if to prove his point. "I can't, it's complicated." Boxing got up and walked over to his ghostly lover. "Sunshine. I'm doing this because I love you, I always will. But you don't exist." Boxing pushed himself up and stood on his hind legs. "What are you doing?" "It'll be over soon." Boxing's distance grew smaller as he walked forward. "Boxing?" Boxing raised his hoof to head hight, ready to strike. "Goodbye." With incredible speed Boxing swung his hoof forward, landing the blow right to Sunshine's face. The ghostly apparition did not move, Boxing slowly removed his hoof from Sunshine's face. "Sunny?" Boxing stared at the hoof-sized hole in Sunshine's head. "Wake up Boxing." The hole began to melt and take shape again. "I'm trying!" Boxing swung his hoof forward again, striking the melting grey flesh before it could reform. Punch after punch eventually forced the apparition to the dirt, where Boxing straddled and pummelled it over and over again. "Wake up Boxing." The pile of goopy flesh echoed. Boxing felt himself shaking, Yes! Wake me up! he stopped punching and started shaking violently. "Wake up Boxing!" He heard his brother's voice call. "Yes Stryker! Wake me up!" Boxing closed his eyes. *** When Boxing next opened his eyes he saw his bother, Stryker. "Boxing?! Thank Celestia you're awake!" he shouted with glee. "Yes. I'm fine, thank you for waking me up." Boxing sat up, he noticed he was in his room, sitting on his bed. "What happened? You were thrashing about like a mad bull." "I had another dream." Boxing told him. "Are you sure? It seemed a lot more aggressive than just a dream." "I killed him Stryker, I was on top of Sunny and I was punching the life out of him... And... I took pleasure in it." Boxing said calmly. "Well, it's just a dream, we both know you don't feel that way about him. Do you?" Stryker gave him a shady look. "Of course not." Boxing replied. "What time is it?" "Just after seven." "I should head to Sweet Apple Acres." And with that Boxing flipped his legs off the bed and stood up. *** Gently trotting, Boxing made his way to help Big Macintosh with the day's harvest at his request. The sun had just risen, painting the land with the warmth of golden light. "Hrhuh!" Boxing heard a grunt in the distance. Is that Applejack? Why is she making that weird noise? Boxing sprung into a gallop as he feared something had gone wrong, causing Applejack to hurt herself. "Applejack?" he called as he galloped closer towards her, where she was lying up against a tree. "Box? What are y'all doin' here this early?" Boxing stopped right in front of her, "I came here to help Big Macintosh with today's harvest, he asked me for help yesterday. What are you doing out here?" he inquired. "Buckin' apples." She said bluntly. "Are you mad? You can't do that! Your five months pregnant! Remember what the doctor said? No booze and no straining yourself." "Pssh, you and yer' doctor's, Ah'll be fine. Ah' got at least a fortnight before you need to worry." Applejack aligned herself with the tree and bucked hard, "Ungh!" a single apple fell from the tree and into one of the buckets waiting below. Boxing gave her a confused look. "That's it. AJ you need to rest and take it easy, me and Big Mac will handle this for today." Boxing said. "Fine." She replied, feeling defeated. "But, if'n y'all need any help don't be afraid to ask me." Applejack turned and started trotting, Boxing galloped to her side. "Where are you going now?" He asked. "Goin' ta get Mac ya' bonehead." Applejack grunted. Oh? Right, heh heh. *** That afternoon, Boxing found himself standing in the huge expanse of Sweet Apple Acres, thick tree trunks surrounded him. He heard the soft grunting of Big Macintosh fairly close by, Boxing reared his legs, ready to strike the trunk behind him. Hey this is going by pretty quick, we'll finish this field within the hour at this rate. Boxing thought to himself as his hooves made contact with the trunk. THUD! A few dozen apples fell into the wooden buckets waiting below. "Boxing? Can Ah' talk with you?" The red workhorse appeared out of nowhere. "Sure Big Mac, what's the matter?" Boxing walked over to him. "It's about AJ's future." He saw Boxing's joyful smile disappear. "Now, Ah' know you have only the best in mind for her, but so do the rest of us." "What are you getting at?" Boxing cocked his eye up. "Marriage. Now don't freak out and panic, Ah'm not forcin' this on ya'. But it's just the way it's always been done in our family, Ah' mean what with Applejack havin' her foal and all. Mah' Ma and Pa got married before they had me, and Granny before that, it's just the way it's always been." He lifted a hoof and placed it on Boxing's shoulder. "As Ah' said; Ain't forcin' you to do this, just consider it. It would mean everything to the Apple Family clan." "I think you're right Big Mac, I love Applejack with all my heart. And I could seriously see myself spending the rest of my life with somepony as trustworthy as her, it would make me so happy." "Thank you Boxing. That means a lot to us." Macintosh placed his hoof back on the dirt and smiled. "Big Macintosh?" "Yeah?" "I could really use your help in planning this. I really want to impress her before I pop the question." "Ah' think I have an idea." *** Meanwhile at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie sat around a table with Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, and Rainbow Dash. Each on them had a cup of tea sitting in front of them, aside from Rainbow who decided on drinking juice. Suddenly when Rarity put her cup to her lips, opposite her, Pinkie Pie began shaking violently. "Pinkie? What's wrong?" Twilight panicked. "Brrrr, that was a doozie." "What is dear?" Rarity asked. "One of the Elements is getting married." Only Twilight smiled at the good news, Rarity and Rainbow Dash gave each other a very concerned look. To Be Continued...