//------------------------------// // The Rodeo is in Town! Part 1. // Story: Keeping Secrets // by Stunt Monkey //------------------------------// Boxing sat at his carved oak desk, with a quill gripped in his teeth. He had been sitting there for hours, devising a plan on what to say when he popped the question of destiny to his lover. The only other pony who knew of his intentions was her older brother; Big Macintosh, who had already given Boxing his family's blessing. Hmmm. My idea's are terrible. Boxing thought to himself. Maybe if I... No, no that won't work. Hmmm.... He blinked his eyes in frustration. "I think maybe Mac was right, I have no idea what I'm doing." He tapped his chin with a hoof as her pondered, the candlelight flickered as a small wind blew through. Somepony had opened the door. "Box? What are you doing?" Stryker asked. "It's so late." He walked closer to his younger brother, Boxing quickly jumped and scurried to cover up his scroll. "Are you writing a letter to somepony? Who?" Stryker was pestering him and Boxing knew it. He gave an unsure smile. "Uh... right scroll. YES! I am writing a letter." Boxing remained smiling. "Okay... to who? And why so late?" Stryker asked. Horseapples! "Uh... oh you know... Just uh..." Quick think, THINK! "To our sister! YEP! Just a friendly family letter to our beloved sister." Boxing's smile began to fade as his eyes started shifting left to right, Stryker walked closer and look over to his brothers hooves covering the scroll. "You're writing a letter to our sister, and you didn't ask if I wanted to write something to her as well?" "Uh... I forgot?" Boxing's smile vanished completely. "You're not writing a letter to Valley Wind are you?" Stryker asked blankly. "No." Boxing answered, defeated. "Then who are you writing to?" Stryker asked again. "I'm not writing to any pony in particular, I'm coming up with ideas of what to say to Applejack at the rodeo this weekend." Boxing said. "Applejack is dragging you to a rodeo?" "No-um, actually, I invited her." "WHAT?!" Stryker shouted. He couldn't believe it. "Let me see this letter." Stryker's horn glowed as the scroll floated out from under Boxing's hooves. "Stryker! Give it back!" Stryker tore his magical grip away from boxing and began reading the scroll quietly to himself, mumbling out loud every few words. "Applejack, I love you blah blah blah, forever in each other hooves blah blah, do me the honour of being MY WIFE?!" Boxing smiled meekly. "Boxing? You're going to propose?!" Stryker asked, refusing to believe what he had just read. "Well, I was planning to. Is there something wrong with that?" "No. Not at all, but this is a big step forward in a relationship. Are you sure about this?" Stryker said. "Yes! Of course I want this, we are having a foal. Stryker. A little girl." He paused and looked back to his desk. "I love her with all my life." "Relax bro-" "No! Stryker! I'm going to ask her! You would do the same for Rarity, wouldn't you?" Boxing asked, his brother didn't react. "For the sake of the Sun! Really? You've never thought about asking Rarity to marry you?" Boxing shouted. "Well... No, not really." Stryker's horn glowed and Boxing's desk draw opened, a new scroll floated out and over to him. "Hey you can't steal my idea!" Boxing reached for the floating scroll but missed. "I'm not. I will ask Rarity to marry me, but not just yet." Stryker continued scribbling on his scroll that floated before him. "Well What are you doing then?" Boxing asked, Stryker smirked then smiled at his younger brother. "Well..." He finished writing and rolled up the scroll. "If you're not writing to Valley Wind, then I am." And with that, his horn lit up the entire room as the rolled up scroll fizzled and burst into a smoky haze. "Valley?" Boxing whimpered. "Yes." Stryker replied. Oh fantastic. *** The next morning... "LITTLE BUMBLEBEE!" A girlish voice cried and woke Boxing up from his sleep, his eyes flashed open as panic filled his body. Oh Goddesses, kill me now. "Wake up little brother!" The irritating voice called. "Ung! Val, what are you doing here?!" Boxing sat up in his bed, his sister was in his door frame floating on her wings peacefully. She was a pegasus mare with a greyish white coat and a spiked electric blue mane. For her cutie mark, she sported an orange sonic sound wave that looked squarish and pixilated. As luck would have it she and Stryker were twins, with the exception of Valley being delivered three minutes before her twin brother. "How are you even here? You live in Cloudsdale, it would take all night to fly here." Boxing groaned, he rolled out of his bed and walked over to his carved oak desk, the one with the big mirror; his favorite. "Hypothetically? Yes. The moment I got that letter and read what Stryker had written, I just had to come down to visit." She floated over behind Boxing, he could see her approach from the reflection in the mirror. "And what did Stryker write exactly?" He asked nervously. "Oh y'know, just the usual. How am I? I should come visit. OH! And you're GETTING MARRIED!" Crap. "Hang on, I'm not getting married. I haven't even asked her yet." Boxing protested, Valley landed on her hooves and smiled to the mirror. "I know, I know. I'm just messing with you." She lifted her front hooves and placed them on her brothers shoulders. "So when are you going to ask her?" She asked, Boxing opened his mouth to answer only to have Valley cut him off "But more importantly. When do I get to meet her." Boxing glanced away from her and spoke. "I'll take you to see her. But," His gaze went back to his sisters reflection. "you have to promise me you won't try anything. I don't want you messing with her mind, like you did to Sunny." "I can't make any promises." She smiled then stuck out her tongue, Boxing simply groaned. *** It was a nice warm morning as Valley walked along side her younger brother, Boxing had agreed to take her to Sweet Apple Acres and meet Applejack as well as the rest of the Apple Family. "Gah! Why is it so hot?" Valley complained. "It's the middle of spring!" Boxing retorted. "You've had your head up in the clouds too long, literally." "OOHH! Who is that hansom hunk of stallion!" Valley gushed, all Boxing saw was a grey blur. "Well hello there." Valley landed gently next to the big red stallion. "I'm Valley Wind, who might you be?" She flashed her eyes, Big Macintosh looked past her and saw Boxing running towards him. "Pleasure t' meet you ma'am." Big Macintosh nodded his head like he does to every new pony he meets. "I am Big-" "BIG MAC!" Boxing hollered. "I am so sorry about my sister here, she's uh..." Boxing darted a look to his sister. "She's a pegasus, you know how energetic they can be sometimes." Boxing apologized profusely. Big Macintosh gave a low chuckle. "No harm done Box." "Sooo..." Valley stepped in front of her mumbling brother. "Is there a Mrs Macintosh?" "No ma'am, but Ah' do have a special somepony I care about deeply." He gave a weary smile, Boxing rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof. "Sorry about this Mac. I promised my sister that I would introduce her Applejack." "So that's the lucky mares name?!" Valley shouted. King Platinum's ghost! How could I forget. "Sorry, I thought Stryker would have said in his letter." "Nope." Valley said as she pushed herself into the air once more. "Let's go meet her!" She flew off towards the house a short distance away, a puff of cloud trailed behind her. Boxing started running after her but stopped and turned around to look back at Big Macintosh one more time. "Sorry about her Mac, can you forgive me?" "Eeyup." "Thanks." Boxing turned back and bolted. Eventually he caught up to Valley, she was just standing at the door. "Val?" He called out nervously, she turned to him and smiled. "Why'd you stop?" He asked. "Cause it's rude to walk into someone's home." "You're one to talk." Boxing snickered. "What was that?" She darted her gaze to him. "Nothin'." He opened the door and walked through, "AJ? Where are you." Being a regular guest in the house, he knew his way around. "Th' kitchen." He lead his sister to the kitchen, Applejack turned to see him. "Ah' was expectin' y- Stryker? What happened to you? Did Rarity try that gender switchin' magicy who-ha again?" Applejack tilted her hat and looked straight to who she thought was Stryker. "Again." Boxing asked. "Who's Rarity?" Valley asked. "Never mind, Stryker will introduce you to her. Applejack, this is my sister, Valley Wind." He pointed a hoof towards his sister then cast a glance to her. "Valley, this is Applejack." His hood moved to Applejacks direction. "Please ta' meet ya'." Applejack took Valley's hoof and shook it vigorously, Valley remained stunned. "Uh... Somethin' wrong?" Applejack asked unsure if she would snap out of her blank staring. "You're as big as a rain cloud!" Valley gasped. "VAL!" "Relax little Bumble Bee, I was just kidding." She giggled. "Stryker never mentioned this in his letter, how far along are you?" "Five months." She answered and walked up next Boxing, placing a gentle peck on his nose. "Eeyup, six more and we will have our own little girl." Applejack smiled. "I can't wait." Boxing smiled back. Alright time to ask her. "Say AJ... The rodeo is coming to Ponyville this weekend and I thought you would like to come with me?" Boxing asked, "But you can't challenge Rainbow to a drinking contest like last time." he added and patted her belly. "Why, I'd be honoured, you know that Ah' would not miss the Rodeo. 'Sides, I had Rarity's word she'd try the bronco buck next time the rodeo was in town." She really doesn't get it. "AJ... Uh, Rarity can't do that in her condition." "Right... hehe, I knew that." Applejack let out a fake laugh. "Say Valley, would you like to stay fer' lunch?" "I'd love to." To Be Continued...