//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Með Suð í Eyrum [With A Buzz In Our Ears] // Story: Reckless Abandon // by Closer-To-The-Sun //------------------------------// Chapter 6: Með Suð í Eyrum [With A Buzz In Our Ears] The next day, Rainbow Dash went about her daily routine. Waking up, working with other pegasi on the weather patterns, stopping by Sugarcube Corner to visit with Pinkie Pie, and taking her daily nap on a cloud. All just part of an average day for her. But in the back of her mind, a small notion was eating at her. She knew she had to, by the end of the day, admit her feelings to Big Macintosh. Rainbow knew she had to, though she just didn’t want to. She kept pushing the idea further and further back in her mind, but it kept being persistent. When the late afternoon came about, Dash knew she was running out of time. The pegasus made her way to Sweet Apple Acres. She trotted along the path in hopes to take up as much time as she could, putting off the idea even more. Yet again, however, her concentration was broken by the sounds of cicadas in the grove of trees. “Again with these pests?” Dash quietly said to herself, “What is their deal?” Without answering herself, Rainbow Dash continued her way along the road. At the barn, Rainbow saw Applejack rolling a barrel around the ground. The earth pony saw her friend arrived and nodded toward her, “Howdy, Rainbow Dash.” “Hey, AJ….um….do you know where Big Mac is at?” the pegasus nervously asked. A smirk appeared on Applejack’s face, “Waitin’ til the last minute ta tell ‘em?” “Sh-Shut up….worry about yourself….” Dash’s face grew flushed. The orange mare laughed a bit more, “Well, ah last saw him out in the orchard, buckin’ some of the trees, getting’ ready fer the upcomin’ season.” “Okay….thanks….” Rainbow said, turning to trot into the grove. “Hey, Rainbow.” Rainbow Dash turned to look at Applejack. “Good luck, partner.” The pegasus smiled, “Thanks. Celestia knows I need it.” “An’ so do ah.” ----------------- Rainbow Dash trotted into the grove of trees, intent on finding the red stallion. She was nervous, more so than she ever had been in her life. Dash had raced against some of the best flyers in Equestria, she had competed in competitions that only housed the greatest of the great, and she was even named ‘the fearless flyer’ by her superiors. And yet, Rainbow Dash was scared like a little filly to just talk to Big Macintosh, the stallion she had feelings for. Hearing the sound of hooves against tree bark, Rainbow found Big Mac amongst the trees. Taking a deep breath, she carefully stepped forward and made herself known to Big Mac. “H-Hey, Big Mac….” Rainbow spoke, almost tripping on her greeting. The red stallion looked toward the pegasus and nodded, “Afternoon, Miss Rainbow Dash.” “What’s….uh….” she tried to speak, “What’s up?” “Jus’ practicin’ my apple buckin’,” Big Mac said in a low voice. “Oh, cool….” Rainbow replied, “Heh, kinda reminds me when we hung out that one night. Ya know, after we kicked those Flim Flam Brothers flank? Just the two of us out in the trees, talking and stuff.” “Eeyup.” Dash nervously laughed, “Heh, it was a pretty awesome time….” Big Macintosh nodded. The two ponies stood in silence among the towering trees. Big Mac looked onward at the blue pegasus, who could barely look back. Dash stared down at the dirty ground below her, rubbing her hoof against her other front limb. While the words were on Rainbow’s tongue, she was unable to bring herself to speak. Interrupting Rainbow Dash’s concentration was a sound she grew to hate more and more, the sound of cicadas. The chirping of the insects quickly grew on the pegasus’ nerves. Oddly enough, it was the stallion who spoke first, “Such a calmin’ sound, ain’t it?” “Huh?” Rainbow looked up. “The cicadas. Their buzzin’ is a calmin’ sound ta me, remindin’ me of the summer and all of the memories the season holds,” Big Mac spoke with a small smile on his face. “Memories?” Dash inquired, “Like what?” Big Mac closed his eyes as he replied, “Well, when ah was a young colt, ah used ta collect the little cicadas durin’ the summer months. It was somethin’ that ah looked forward ta every year. An’ when the end of summer came, ah tried mah hardest to find all of the cicadas ah could before they all disappeared. Ah loved the song they sing an’ it jus’ reminds me of simple things,” the stallion opened his eyes, “Ah’m sorry, ah didn’t mean to ramble on like that.” “Oh, no, it’s cool. No worries,” Rainbow replied. She never had thought that Big Mac would have such a hobby as a colt. While she wasn’t exactly a fan of the cicadas, she found it adorable that Big Mac was fond of the little insects. “Ah jus’ find their buzzin’ in my ears quite a wonderful sound,” Big Mac mused lightly. “Yeah, it is a really nice,” Dash commented. Big Mac tilted his head slightly, “Is there somethin’ on yer mind, Miss Rainbow Dash?” “Uh….um….well, actually yeah, there is,” Rainbow admitted, looking back down at the ground. She hesitated for a few moments before finally speaking again, “Big Macintosh….I….well….I like you. A lot.” The stallion looked on at the pegasus, “Beg pardon?” Rainbow’s face grew flushed. She raised her head to look back up at Big Mac, “You heard me, I love you! Alright? I admit it! I’m head over hooves for you!” Her cheeks were burning red. “Goodness,” Big Mac was at a loss for words, “Ah don’t know what ya say.” Rainbow Dash looked away from him, “Well, h-how do you feel about me?” Big Mac didn’t answer right away. The pegasus continued, “Look, I understand if this is sudden, weird, and all of that junk. It’s just that I really do like you. Well, obviously more than just that. I’ve liked you for quite a while, since that time we shared cider. You’re just a really cool stallion, Mac. I really just….I don’t know….look, if this is too weird for you, ya don’t have to answ-” “Ah like ya, too, Miss Rainbow Dash.” “Huh?” Dash looked up in surprise. “Ah like ya as well,” Big Mac repeated with a smile. “R-Really?” “Eeyup.” A huge smile appeared on Rainbow Dash’s blushing face. She squealed as she slightly bounced up and down. She looked like a complete fool, but she didn’t care, had never been happier. These actions caused Big Mac to laugh, “Heh, forgive me fer sayin’ this, but yer kinda cute when yer like that.” Rainbow stopped her hopping around and turned to look at Big Mac, her face burning red, “Sh-Shut up….” Big Mac smiled as she trotted over to the pegasus. Surprising Rainbow Dash, he wrapped his front limbs around her, “Thanks fer the new summer memory.” Blushing a deep red, Rainbow Dash returned the hug, “Y-Yeah, of course.” She tightened her hold on her stallion. As the two embraced, Celestia’s sun sank below the horizon and the cicadas ceased in their buzzing. END