Twilight sat at the Ponyville Train Station; her mane tossed beside her by the mild wind that gave the air a slightly chilly feel. For now she was the only pony there, but that didn’t surprise her as she had planned to arrive a bit early. It had only been two days since she had last seen her special somepony and they had confessed their feelings to each other, but it might as well have been two years as far as Twilight was concerned. She was dying to see him, she wanted desperately to rush into his embrace and tell him she loved him, and hear him say he loved her back over and over again, but she didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his sister. Even though she tried her best to be patient, her head alternated from one side of the horizon to the other. First to the left to see if the train was coming, and then to the right into Ponyville where Big Mac would appear.
“You’re going to hurt yourself if you do that to much.” Came Spike’s voice from behind Twilight where he sat on one of the station benches. He had insisted on accompanying her to the station to see her off, which Twilight found very sweet and made no objections to. She hadn’t yet gotten around to telling Spike the full details of her last date with Big Mac, but he was overall adjusting very well to Twilight’s relationship up to that point, much better then she had expected. Therefore this offer to see her off, knowing full well she was only going to be with Big Mac, was a kind enough gesture of faith that it made Twilight smile when she remembered he was there.
“I’ll be fine Spike, I just want to know when everypony gets here.” Spike made a gagging sound.
“You mean you want to know when your farmcolt shows up.” He said as sarcastically as he possibly could, clearly teasing her. Twilight looked over her shoulder with a mischievous smile.
“You know me to well.” Twilight quickly changed her expression to an exaggerated pout “If you want, I’ll kiss him once for you.” Spike hated when Twilight got mushy like that and turned away cross armed.
“You know you’ll do that whether or not it’s for me, why would you even ask if I wanted that?” Twilight turned back to where Big Mac would be coming so Spike couldn’t see her face twist into a snicker.
“You started it by saying I was anxious for him to get here, but you’re right, I would kiss him anyway.” The gagging sound Spike made this time was almost too realistic. Twilight was about to say more in an attempt to discourage future attempts at poking fun at her, but as her mouth opened a figure caught her eye. At first she thought it was Big Mac from all the stuff the pony was dragging along, but taking a closer look she discovered it was none other then Rarity. The pristine pony had what looked like half her possessions pilled up in a cart, which she effortlessly pulled behind her as if it was nothing. Twilight at first expected her to pass by, but when she parked the cart beside the station and unhitched herself, Twilight stood to great her.
“Rarity, what are you doing at the Train Station?” Rarity apparently hadn’t noticed Twilight was there and gave a friendly smile up to her before she ascended the steps onto the platform Twilight was on.
“Well isn’t that obvious? I’m taking the train.” Rarity headed strait to a bench and sat down, motioning Twilight over to take a seat beside her. Twilight took a seat next to her and with a quick glance back to be sure Big Mac hadn’t made his way up the road while she had been distracted turned to question her friend.
“You didn’t tell me you were going anywhere, last time I saw you it looked like you’d be to busy to-”
“Oh darling did you really think I would take any new orders after a holiday as big as Nightmare Night for me? I’m taking a little time off to myself while I get some supplies from out of town. A much better question is what are you doing here? I’ve never known you to go anywhere outside Ponyville without Equestria hanging in the balance. What big emergency has the princess summoned you off to?” Twilight had absolutely no desire to say the real reason she was here, if Rarity found out she and Big Mac were leaving town together there was no telling how long Rarity would harp on her.
“Um… I’m just getting away from Ponyville for a few days, you know, a mini vacation.” Spike burst out laughing.
“Really, that’s what you’re going to call it?” Spike fell off his bench and proceeded to roll around on the ground as fits of laughter rocked his being and Twilight starred down at him with a hateful glare.
“What’s so funny?” Rarity asked, more then a little confused. Spike tried to gather himself for a response, but little giggles still interrupted him.
“Twilight’s not going on a vacation, she’s going to see-”
“Going to see Applejack in the rodeo!” Twilight said, drowning out Spike before using her magic to create a zipper over his lips and zip them shut. Rarity took on a strange expression when Twilight said that.
“Oh… Does Applejack know you’re coming?”
“Well who do you think invited me?” Twilight didn’t like lying to her friends, but she reasoned with herself that this was just a misleading question, not a full blown lie, and the guilt for something small like this was way better then sitting through Rarity’s questioning.
“That’s… that’s very nice of her.” Rarity’s ears had slicked back and she turned away from Twilight to look at the train tracks. Twilight let out a breathless sigh after dodging that potential disaster, but then she noticed the new forlorn nature of her friend.
“Hey, are you alright Rarity.”
“Oh I’m fine.” Rarity said gaining back her usual demeanor for a moment before turning away even further and letting her ears fall back. “I’m just fine.”
“No, really Rarity, is they’re something bugging you?” Twilight put a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder that Rarity almost shrunk away from, but instead only flinched at.
“Well, I can’t expect you to understand Twilight. I just thought… well it’s not important really.”
“Rarity I-”
“I mean if Applejack wants to invite you to go play spectator that’s her right as a grown mare to do.”
“Well she-”
“What should I care really if Applejack has one of her close friends, who I might remind myself is a fellow Element of Harmony and therefore completely trustworthy go with her to another city halfway across Equestria? And even if I did have a problem with it, which I obviously don’t since it is ridiculous to think anything bad would happen, if something bad did happen, I could just question her about it on her return and being the Element of Honesty she would have no choice but to tell me what I wanted to know.”
“Where is this-”
“In fact I could even go a step further and have her promise me she wouldn’t do anything I wouldn’t approve of while she was there. Once she got back I could ask her if she kept her promise, a one shot question to definitively prove her guilt, if there was any, which there won’t be, because that would be ridiculous!” Rarity sat there in silence for a second with Twilight’s hoof on her shoulder, which Twilight was slightly afraid to move.
Just then around the corner came Applejack and Big Mac, Applejack had only her saddlebag but Big Mac was carrying his bag along with a cheerful Applebloom who was perched with her head on Big Mac’s and back legs moving with his shoulders. When the three of them reached the platform Rarity stood and headed over to them ignoring completely the friendly wave Applejack presented.
“How dare you.” When Rarity reached Applejack she raised her hoof and firmly slapped her across the face with a force which would have floored the farmpony had she not been so muscular. Pointing the assaulting hoof at Twilight, Rarity waited for Applejack to open her mouth before she spoke. “How dare you invite another guest to accompany you without telling me! This was supposed to be just the two of us, and now you’ve got,” Rarity looked over at Big Mac and Applebloom who stood unmoving as Rarity’s expression changed from angry to furious. “THREE MORE PONIES!” Rarity turned away from Applejack and headed over to her cart of things. “Well if you think I’m going to accept you inviting all of Ponyville to go with us you’ve got another thing coming. I am not about to share one second of my time with-”
“What in Equestria are ya talkin’ about?” Applejack said, her cheek turning the most peculiar shade of pink as the red of her skin mixed with the orange of her coat. Whether the reddening was from the blow from Rarity or a blush However, Twilight couldn’t tell. Rarity turned herself around and glared daggers at Applejack as she hitched herself in.
“The nerve, as if you didn’t know. You invited me to go with you and watch your filthy rodeo, making me believe it was a special invitation only to me, that while you weren’t competing we’d have time to ourselves. But now I’ve come to find Twilight has received the same invitation and I highly doubt you’ve drug your brother out here just to see her off.” Rarity closed her eyes and let a few tears flow into her white coat before turning away. “Well you can just have your rodeo then, but I won’t be attending.”
Applejack made careful steps toward Rarity as Big Mac exchanged a look of complete bewilderment with Twilight. At first Rarity looked like she was about to strike Applejack again, to which Applejack simply closed her eyes and turned her head to allow the blow a wider area of effect.
“If hittin’ me is goin’ to make ya feel better then I won’t stop ya, but I didn’t have a thing to do with Big Mac and Twilight comin’ along.” Rarity stalled her hoof for a moment, drawing it close to her after wiping away the few tears that hadn’t made there way to deeply into her coat.
“Then how pray tell did Twilight receive an invitation to accompany you.” Applejack tuned to face Rarity slowly and took off her trademark hat before speaking.
“I asked Big Mac if he would be interested in joinin’ the competition is all. He’s goin’ to be competin’ in the stallion only events while you and I are off sight seein’ and such. Twilight’s only goin’ to watch him compete, she won’t be buggin’ us none, I promise.” Spike, who had just now managed to undo the magical zipper, chimed in.
“Yeah, I tried to tell you that earlier.” Rarity looked at the other ponies there, and then back to Applejack before she raised her hoof again and Applejack closed her eyes. In one quick motion, Rarity pulled Applejack into an embrace, and rubbed their cheeks against one another without a word. In the silence that followed Applejack accepted the hug and Big Mac set down Applebloom before heading over to Twilight.
“What in Equestria did we just see?” He asked.
“I have no idea.” She responded. After another moment, Rarity spoke
“I’m sorry I called your rodeo filthy. I was just-”
“It’s alright sugar cube, y’all just didn’t have the whole story.”
“No really Applejack, I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Suddenly Rarity pulled away from the hug with a twinkle in her eye. “I could make you an outfit for the rodeo tomorrow!” Applejack put her hat back on and smiled.
“How about ya don’t and we’ll call it even.”
* * *
The train arrived shortly afterward and the four ponies got aboard after saying goodbye to Applebloom and Spike. Once they had picked out a cart and room to ride in, Twilight and Big Mac made themselves comfortable on a seat next to each other and waited for some time alone. Rarity had to many things to store in the room she and Applejack were ridding in (which luckily enough was right next door.) so she was walking in and out of there room storing the overflow next to Big Mac’s saddlebag on the shelves over the beds.
“Now just to be clear you two, these things are very valuable and I don’t want them to get damaged. Should something fall or be in danger of falling, immediate action should be taken to prevent this. Understand?” Twilight and Big Mac both nodded their heads in unison. “I mean it, I don’t want to wake up tomorrow and find that harm has befallen my possessions.”
“Everything will be fine Rarity, you can trust us.” Twilight said.
“Yes well… I hope so.” And with That Rarity left the room, shutting the door behind her. Twilight immediately looked up at Big Mac and nuzzled her face into his strong neck.
“Have I told you how much I missed you yet today?”
“Nope.”
“More then I could possibly describe to you.” Big Mac wrapped a hoof tightly around Twilight’s body and proceeded to slightly nip her ear. Like the cuddling and kissing of a few days ago, this was a brand new sensation for her. It felt weird at first, but as she got used to it she really started to enjoy the sensation. However a thought popped up in her mind that begged addressing. “Big Mac?”
“Hmmm?”
“I have a question for you.”
“Alright, I hope it’s not about whether or not I love you again though, my feelings haven’t changed over the past forty–eight hours”
“Oh no it’s not that, it’s just, everything we’ve been doing lately has been so new to me, but you seem to know exactly what your doing. I was just wondering… how experienced are you?” Big Mac stopped playing with Twilight’s ear and waited for a moment before responding.
“What exactly are ya askin’ me Miss. Sparkle?”
“Well… I don’t know exactly what I’m trying to ask here, I guess a good starting point is how many mares have you been with before me?”
“I don’t know, I’ve lost count.” Twilight giggled.
“Lost count, how can you lose count of the ponies you’ve dated?”
“Theirs, been a lot, I just don’t remember them all.” Twilight took her head out from under Big Mac’s and looked him in the eyes still slightly unconvinced.
“Well who was the first mare you dated then, we’ll just start from there and count forward.” Big Mac thought for a short moment.
“I dated this one filly when I was still in school for a couple weeks, but that was way back when I was still a little colt.”
“Alright, who came after that.” Big Mac took another moment.
“I had a Pegasus for a little while after ma passed away, but she was only temporary while I got used to her not being around anymore.”
“Alright, then who-”
“Twilight I don’t know after that point, I’ve dated a lot of mares.” Big Mac had a nervous twinge to his voice that disturbed Twilight.
“Do, do you at least have an estimate then?”
“Thirty, maybe forty by now.” Twilight’s eyes grew wide and her ears fell back. That many, Big Mac had that many partners under his belt. Suddenly it put into perspective just how inexperienced she was, Big Mac was the first pony she had gone beyond a regular kiss with, but he… well it was very unlikely that was as far as he went. Big Mac let these thoughts stir in Twilight’s head, presenting only a concerned expression on his face and a firm posture. Twilight already knew the answer to this next question, but she needed to ask anyway.
“How far did you go with them?” Big Mac had been expecting this one apparently because he responded immediately.
“I almost married a few of them, not nearly as many as the number that broke my heart, but once or twice I thought I had found the one for me. If you’re asking how far I’ve gone physically… well theirs not much ya can name I haven’t done.” Twilight snuggled up closer to Big Mac in an attempt to take some comfort in his embrace, she can’t say she hadn’t seen this moment coming from the second she had first kissed him on the cheek after he showed her the stream on the farm. But the words stung a little all the same.
“You do know I’ve never been in a real relationship like this before, don’t you?” Big Mac held Twilight with a tender squeeze to reassure her.
“I gathered it after a while. I mean this with all the kindness I have, but your kissin’ is very cautious, you let me pretty much do all the work. Not that that’s a bad thing I could just tell from that you didn’t really know what to do.” Twilight blushed, but it wasn’t a cute blush of embarrassment like she had grown used to dawning around the strong stallion that now held her close, but one of shame as she thought of how stupid she must look.
“I, I hope that’s not to bad. I never really found anypony who was right for me so I never really got into dating. In Canterlot I don’t even have anypony I know of who would have noticed I’m not still trotting around the place besides the princess and my family… Do you think you would want a mare that’s more like you? One who actually knows what she’s doing?” Twilight didn’t know what Big Mac would say, but she was pressing herself against him with all her might. If this was the last time she got to be close to him she wanted to remember exactly what it felt like to be here just in case his answer was yes.
When Big Mac moved his arm off of her and started to peel her off him, Twilight stifled the urge to cry or resist him. When she looked up at his deep green eyes, she saw a calm collected look that she studied intently, trying to decipher any small clue as to what he was thinking.
“Twilight, I know all about what it was like for ya in Canterlot, Applejack and I are very close so if she knows somethin’ I most likely do to. If I really cared that much about it I wouldn’t have asked ya to be my special somepony to begin with. I love ya not because of the experience you’ve had or any petty reason like that. I love ya because you’re an intelligent, interestin’, and beautiful mare who, if you don’t mind me saying this, is almost as bad with findin’ love as I am. Theirs good reason I’m not settlin’ down with one of the other ponies I’ve met, and good reason I might one day with you if you’ll have me. If my past don’t bug ya none, then yours don’t bug me.” Twilight couldn’t hold herself back, and kissed Big Mac, hard.
“That was beautiful.” She said as she pulled away.
“Not as beautiful as you.” Twilight wrapped her arms around Big Mac, and Big Mac buried his muzzle in her mane. The couple stayed like that for untold moments, locked together as their hearts beat against their partner’s chest.
“Do you really think we might settle down together one day?”
“It’s always a possibility. Should ya decide ya want to I wouldn’t need to be told twice, but that’s a long way off from now.”
“Maybe, but if you keep pulling out romantic moments like this I don’t know how long I’ll be ok with you still calling me Miss Sparkle. Miss Macintosh just sounds better.” Big Mac let out a small laugh.
“Oh, did I really call you Miss Sparkle again?”
“Eeyup.” Twilight tried her best to imitated Big Mac’s voice, but her voice just couldn’t go low enough to pull it off.
“Sorry Twilight, I’ll try to stop that.”
“You know what just occurred to me?”
“What?”
“If you and I do get married, Applejack will be my sister. Just think of how she’d take that.”
“Ya think that’s odd, think of how Granny Smith will take it when I’m brothers with the stallion that married a princess. What exactly will that make me, a step prince of Equestria?” Twilight giggled again.
“Not exactly but that’s close enough.” Suddenly the train went into a tunnel, and Twilight felt Big Mac pull away from her in the stillness of the dark.
“Have ya ever kissed in the dark before?” Big Mac said so softly that Twilight could barely hear him. She shook her head at first, but realizing Big Mac couldn’t see her she spoke.
“No, not yet at least.” Big Mac put a hoof on her cheek, and Twilight closed her eyes just as their lips met. She couldn’t explain it, but somehow this kiss, which was in many ways the same as the last one they had shared, sent chills up and down her spine. She opened her mouth when she felt the now strangely familiar touch of Big Mac’s tongue and swore to herself up and down that this was the most wonderful kiss they could possibly share. But as she suspected, she was wrong, the next kiss was better.