The yellow colt strode through the hormone-riddled streets of Ponyville, looking casual with his signature Stetson and tawny mane. He bit on a strand of wheat and walked at an even pace, straight on the main street to the farm on the outskirts of town. Mares took notice, some glancing and looking away timidly before sneaking yet another peek at him, while others more brazen took to the streets to pepper him with inquisitions as to his business in the small town. But, lo and behold, he was soon ambushed by such a great amount of mares, that they blocked his way and he was forced to delay his arrival by detouring to a nearby café.
One flamboyant, pink pony bounced as she heard the commotion of a new pony in town, and was intrigued by the somewhat large mass of ponies huddled around the somepony whom she suspected of being the new colt. "Hey, everypony, look out!" she shrieked before lashed eyes glared at her then widened in fear. It only took one shot from her party cannon to get even the attention of the farthest pony in the area, involved in the gigantic hullabaloo or not. She waited for the combination of confetti, dust, and balloons to settle before speaking. "So, who's the new- waaait- ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh, it's you! Braeburn!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, lunging at him from what would've been impossible for any other Earth pony, except for, of course, Pinkie Pie.
He was in a defensive position to protect himself from the seemingly inevitable pain she would bring upon making contact with him. However, an aura of purple suddenly outlined the party pony and stopped her mid-jump before any trips to see Nurse Redheart were necessary. "Pinkie, it's always great to see an Apple drop by here, but there's no need to severely injure him," a calm, feminine voice spoke, who revealed herself to be Twilight as she stepped through the mob.
Trying to fidget unsuccessfully, Pinkie rambled, "But Twilight, come on! It's Braeburn! We haven't seen him since Appleloosa, do you remember Appleloosa, 'cuz I sure do, I mean, we all went there to help with the trouble with the buffalo and the land, but it turned out that the buffalo and the Appleloosans just needed a little time not to be biased and work out a compromise that made everyone happy and then we all went home, but before we went home, AJ and Rainbow decided to play around with Braeburn and- waaaaait, Braeburn, how's Little Strongheart!"
As Twilight began to set Pinkie down and let her loose, Braeburn blinked in surprise before finding the right words. "Well... Ah, uh, asked her out to dinner, an' we had a great time an' became real close. So, Ah asked her out sum more. But when Ah told her how Ah felt, she... Turns out, she don't feel the same way." He took off his hat and placed it on the table before leaning his head down on it sadly.
The mares, and a few colts, cooed in empathy, while one certain Berry Punch slurred loudly, "Thank Celestia, he's single!" a thought that passed almost all of those ponies' minds, but they had enough common sense not to announce.
"Well, what are you here for? A change of scenery?" the purple unicorn asked, ignoring the outburst and taking a seat next to him.
"To be frank," he began, inviting a memory of another colt stud into their minds, "eeyup. Ah luv her but Ah luv her, so Ah could not stand being there. Everywhere Ah went in Appleloosa, Ah was reminded o' her. So Ah called up mah cuz' and she said that it'd be swell if Ah stayed for sum while."
Pinkie began to jump joyously again, squealing, "Wait, wait, wait, you're gonna be staying for a few weeks? Eeeeeh! I have to hold you a party! Everypony, I'm gonna have a 'Braeburn's in Town to Mend Is Broken Heart for a Couple of Weeks' party tonight, at Sugarcube corner, seven on the spot!"
"Well, actually, Miss Pinkie- dat is your name, right? - Ahm only stayin' here for t'night and t'morrow then Ahm right back on the train t' Appleloosa. Ah may get uncomf'table stayin' there, but even Ah have mah apple duties."
A rose-schemed mare sighed happily and fainted, leading him to ask, "Is she alrigh-" before getting interrupted by Pinkie screeching, "Okay, I'll just change the name to 'Braeburn's in Town to Mend His Broken Heart For a Day or Two,' but don't worry, everypony, it's still gonna be at seven tonight!"
The ponies surrounding them started to celebrate ecstatically at the thought of having alone time with him, but as they did, nopony noticed Twilight whispering to Braeburn, "Hey, I know how crazy these girls- and, oddly, some guys- can get when there's a new colt in town. You want me to teleport you there?"
"That'd be mighty fine, Miss Twilight," he said, smiling, before a purpleness washed over and engulfed him, making the pony, in simple terms, disappear.
"Yeah, that's right! Woo, take that! Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh!" the cyan mare sang, doing a victory dance in the air.
An orange filly stared up in amazement as she gushed, "Wow, you're so awesome, Rainbow! I mean, that swoop, and then that swing and drop, flutter, barrel roll! Just- just awesome!"
"You don't have to tell me more than once, kid, I already know I'm awesome," she chirped, smiled smugly. She flew up then began to speed downwards, planning to barely make a sharp right only a few inches from the ground, when there was suddenly a lilac-hazed yellow mass with spots of brown in the very spot she decided on turning at.
"Ahhhhh! What the buck! Scootaloo, tell that idiot to get out of my way!" she screamed. Rainbow tried stopping but it was too late, all she could do was keep flying and hope for the best.
The filly and the colt looked up, confused, but the realization set in and they shrieked. He tried to start running, but it was only a matter of milliseconds until they would collide.
Dash closed her eyes as best as she could in the speed she was traveling, with only the small wish in the very back of her being that Scootaloo wouldn't have to see the massive bloodshed that was, unfortunately, inevitable. When she opened them, however, she was still alive, but her left side hurt a painful bunch.
With shocked, roseate eyes, she found herself pinned to the ground by something big. And red. No, not pinned. More like held down, but gently. Her vision cleared from her former thoughts of death to the stallion on top of her. His deep, grassy eyes were locked with hers as she realized just who saved her from the danger.
She lost herself for a bit until she remembered the compromising form in which they would have had to be in. "Uh, Mac? Big Mac? You could get off me now. It's not like I couldn't have saved myself," she claimed in a calm and slightly demeaning manner. Wait a minute, mouth; I was supposed to thank him! Oh, nevermind. I- I would've been able to save myself, after all... Hmph.
He kept his stoic expression, retorting with his even-tempered, Southern drawl, "If Ah had, both you an' Braeburn would be giant mounds 'a jello right 'bout now." She blushed in anger and rolled out from underneath once he let go of her legs.
When she saw sunlight again, a familiar face popped into view. "Hello, Miss Dash, need help gettin' up?" her hardly survived victim offered, handing her a hoof.
"Thank you... You," she answered in an unusually flirtatious way before sending Big Mac a stink eye for his earlier remark.
"It's Braeburn, Miss Dash," he helped, pulling his hat down on his face with pink coming to his cheeks. Rainbow giggled as she got up on her hooves, standing steadily.
From behind, Big Mac could only let out a tiny scoff. The nerve on that mare! Best friend of my li'l sister, buck that! This's got t' be- what? - the dozenth time Ah've saved her sorry flank only to git a sassy remark in return? And then she flirts with my cuz' right in front o' me for revenge when Ah talk back to her for the first time! Next time, Ah won't even look at her. That'll serve 'er right. But when Braeburn turned to the red stallion to give his thanks, he only acknowledged it with his trademark, "Eeyup."
The yellow colt returned his attentions to the blue mare and beamed, "Could Ah have the honour of walkin' you back t' the farm, Miss Dash?"
She replied with a playfully shy tone, "Of course, Mister Braeburn- but please, you can call me Rainbow or just Dash," giggling with as much affection she could muster up without retching.
Big Mac was left there, lone in the field as far as he knew, until there was a tugging on one of his legs. Adorable with a puzzled look on her face, Scootaloo asked, "What just happened?"
It was seven o'clock, and not a minute too soon. Ponies began to enter the shop, but even Sugarcube Corner's parameters couldn't hold all of them. Thankfully, the mayor let Pinkie line a block's worth with red tape to show how large the actual party could be allowed without actually being in the shop.
But it was an hour in and their guest-of-honour was missing, leading Pinkie to ask any and everypony she could if they'd seen Braeburn, to fruitless ends. However, as if summoned, when she finished interrogating the last pony, the colt appeared with a date that seemed to surprise more than just the Apples- Rainbow Dash.
"How in Eque- Rainbow, could I please speak with you in the ladies' room?" Rarity called over upon seeing the couple arrive together.
She shrugged to the colt, "Sorry, girl stuff. Probably about not wearing make-up or something, but gotta go anyways," before hovering over to the white mare.
"Okay, Rarity, what did I do wrong this evening?" Dash asked as she followed her into the restrooms.
Once they were alone, Rarity faced her friend with serious eyes before grinning widely and exclaiming, "Nothing at all, dear, I just can't believe you snagged such a colt as fine as him!"
"Gee, Rarity, way to make a statement."
"Oh, you know what I mean. So, what did you do? Ask him out? Ambush him? Stalk and corner him? Force him into a bargain to-"
"What? No! What kind of pony do you think I am? I just talked to him!" she defended.
"Just... Talked?"
She mocked in frustration, "Yes. Just... Talked. What, did you suddenly forget what those words mean?"
"No, no," she explained, "I'm just rather... Shocked."
"Shocked? What's there to be shocked about?" Rainbow eyed suspiciously.
With a nervous laugh, the violet-maned mare tried, "I, uh, well, didn't think- oh, dear, how do I put this delicately? - you were fond of colts. Yes? Yes, that's sounds quite right..."
"What? You're making no sense, Rarity!"
"I thought you were a fillyfooler!" she shouted as other ponies entered the room, allowing everypony in the vicinity to hear her confession. The pegasus stood there, locked in position with a look consisting of shock and confusion mixed together. "Uh, d-darling? Hel-lo, are you alright? Oh, don't tell me I broke her..."
But to the surprise of Rarity and the ponies watching and eavesdropping, she suddenly dropped down on the floor and started laughing violently and even wheezing for air, saying after her fit of sorts, "Oh, Rare, are you serious? Celestia, you crack me up! I can't believe you actually thought that!"
"Ah, yes, ha-ha, ha-ha," she let out awkwardly with an insincerely comprehending smile.
"Wait, Rarity, why did you think that?" Rainbow questioned once she regained her composure.
"Well, Dash, you're something of a tomcolt. You hang out with guys all the time; sure, you have us, but we're the only friends of the same sex you have. And then, you're incredibly athletic, always flying or playing, rarely taking time to indulge in the feminine desires."
After giving a long pause, Rainbow yelled, "What! You know what, I'll prove you all wrong, then! Hmph!" and she left the unicorn by herself, only able to mutter, "Oh, dear, this is quite a dilemma..."
The pegasus bumped into Macintosh upon exiting. He expected an outcry like, "Hey, watch where you're going!" to come out of her mouth, but to his surprise, when he looked at her, her eyes were big and watery, so unlike the same eyes she'd glare at him with before. She suddenly hugged him tightly, prompting him to ask, "Uh, R-Rainbow, are you alright?"
He heard a sniffle, followed by, "No, not really," and a dejected chuckle. "I thought it was all gonna finally stop when I left flight school, when I moved to Ponyville to start over. But I guess you just can't shake your past, not matter how hard you try. Whatever I do, be the Best Young Flyer, an Element of Harmony, my achievements will always be outweighed by my past. It all comes tumbling back eventually..."
He glanced down. She'd dug her face into his coat, warm, soft tears flowing down her cheeks. Mac sighed. Damn it, Ahm not supposed to help her! But, she's real distressed right now... And contradictory to his earlier thoughts, he said, "Rainbow Dash, look at me."
She only nuzzled herself further as a reply, so the stallion cupped her chin and moved it upwards, forcing her to look at him. "Ya' can't let this rule your life. This is only what others think 'a you. What do you think 'a ya'self? 'Cuz Ah was pretty sure you are a sporty, confident pony who could fly faster than any other pegasus in Equestria, frilly frau-frau make-up and dress or not. You make yourself, Dash, so if ya' believe that you are just some useless fillyfooler, might as well have everypony call ya' that 'cuz you ain't ever gonna let it go. But just as long you don't believe it, nopony else will."
With her bright magenta eyes, she hesitated, "R-really? Do you really think that? I mean, after all the grief I've put you through, you're still gonna- my Celestia... I'm so sorry, Big Mac. All this time, I've been so demeaning to you, even after you've saved me from danger- what? - more than a dozen times now? And you still had enough pity in yourself for me to give me a pep talk! Th-thank you, Big Mac. Really. You're just what I needed."
Dash hugged him tighter with an honest and sweet smile before her eyes flared open and the red across her face become red because of embarrassment, abjuring, "I mean, that was just what I needed. N-not you."
The Apple only chuckled and messed around with her rainbow-coloured mane, before leaving her with a, "Eeyup."
Slightly flustered, Rainbow called out with a low but audible voice towards his direction, "Seeya' tomorrow, Mac..."
A yellow colt met up with her, asking as he offered her a glass, "So you're finally out, eh? Want sum cider?"
Dash's eyes flashed over Braeburn's, then Big Mac's as he gave an understanding look upon turning back at her. "Um, yeah, thanks, Burn," she said with a disappointed smile.
They linked forelegs and walked out of the shop, while Big Mac watched them leave and glanced at his hooves in a corner. He uttered, "Eeyup..."