Apple cinnamon pancakes were being mercilessly devoured, as a certain family of farmers began preparing for their work day. Butter was being knifed with murderous passion, and a flood of syrup drowned the fried breakfast foods as they were being almost ritually sacrificed to appease the insatiable appetites of their very creators.
“So, Mac,” Applejack began while carving into the light and fluffy flesh of her next meal. “Did ya have a nice date last night?”
“Eeyup.” He responded nonchalantly, as he sliced off a sizable chunk of butter to smear over his own piping hot victims.
“Aha!” Applejack shouted, causing a collective jump from the rest of the, able-bodied, family members. “Ah knew it was a date!”
Applebloom, the youngest of the family, looked up from her plate that was more syrup than pancake, now paying attention to the conversation of her elder siblings. “Whassat? Mac’s datin’?” and as she said it, the sticky, sugary liquid dripped from her chin to the tablecloth.
Granny Smith then decided to chime in, and voice her approval of the recent turn of events. “Hooweee! Way to go, Macintosh! So, who’s my new granddaughter?”
“Granny!” Mac complained, his embarrassment rising.
“Ah’m gonna have another sister!” Applebloom screamed in excitement.
“Mac, ya know we got room at the table, if ya want ta bring her over.”
“When should Ah expect mah first great-grandfoal?”
“Does this mean Ah’m gonna be an aunt soon?”
“Ah could make her favorite food. Do ya know what it is Mac?”
“Sweetie Belle is gonna be so jealous!”
“Pickles always give me the hiccups…”
“Maybe she could help me get mah cutie mark… Do ya think she could Mac?”
Macintosh was unable to get a word in edgewise, as his sisters and grandmother completely commandeered the conversation, leaving him to attempt to drown his sorrows in syrup, and bury them in pancakes.
Rainbow was way ahead of schedule on her cloudbusting duties, which just “happened” to take place over Sweet Apple Acres. So she decided a rest could be in order.
A quick survey of the area revealed an excellent landing spot, one that she would have to take advantage of. She began her decent at a shallow angle, silently scrubbing off speed, and approaching her roving landing pad without any trouble. Her hooves alighted soundlessly on the narrow space of exposed planks between baskets of fruits, directly over the axel, so that her additional weight wouldn’t alter the balance of the cart.
A landing as perfect as the one that Rainbow Dash had just pulled off was rare, and hard to come by. Honestly, she wished that somebody had seen it.
She had just landed on a delicately balanced, moving platform, without alerting the one pulling said platform to her presence.
After a few moments of silently celebrating her accomplishment, she decided to end her deceit. “Hey, Mac.”
The simple and generic, yet unexpected greeting caused the large, red stallion pulling the cart to jolt with surprise. His freeloading passenger simply took the shake of the cart in stride, using minute adjustments to keep herself upright, without looking as undignified as her coltfriend.
He turned to see her riding on the apple cart, perched gracefully between two baskets loaded with fresh, ripe fruit. “How’d ya get there?” He asked incredulously.
“Um, I didn’t hear a ‘hello’.” She scolded, faking disdain and crossing her forehooves.
Mac chuckled, bringing a smile to the speedy pegasus’ lips. “Howdy Rainbow,” He said, causing her to nod with approval at his correction of his ways, “And Ah gotta say, it’s great ta see ya. Ah jus’ expected ta feel somethin’ if ya landed back there.”
“Well, you know, I’m just that awesome!” she stated proudly, puffing out her chest. “So, what are you up to today?” She asked, genuinely.
“Well, Ah’m gatherin’ the golden delicious from the West Field,” He answered, then added curiously, “But Ah didn’t know ya were inta farm work.”
She blushed, the reddening of her cheeks immediately visible against the blue of her coat. “I, uh, just thought that, maybe, you know, I should take more of an interest in what my coltfriend does…” She said with a sheepish smile.
“Ah’m honored.” He responded with a genuine grin and a slight bow of his head, then the events from the morning came flooding back and he visually sagged.
“Hey, what’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked quickly, worried that the ‘coltfriend’ comment was too soon in the relationship.
“Nothin’ Ah jus’ had a rough mornin’.” He sighed and began to tell an abridged version of breakfast. “Applejack tricked me into tellin’ her that Ah went on a date, Granny thinks Ah’m married already, Applebloom can’t wait ta meet her new sister, and yer invited ta dinner at mah house tonight.”
“Wow… Sounds like you had an... interesting morning.” Then something clicked in, “Wait, I’m invited to dinner? By you or AJ?”
“By AJ, as mah date.” Mac elaborated.
“Oh, OK, I guess we should let her know, before she makes some mistake by telling Rarity that you two are dating.” Dash consented, “I’d love to come. I can’t wait to see Applejack’s face.” She added with a twisted grin.
“Eeyup.” Big Macintosh agreed. “Should be fun.”
“Well, I’ll let you get back to work,” Rainbow said, extending her wings for takeoff. “I have some reading to do.”
A train from Manehattan had pulled into Ponyville station earlier in the morning, picking up several ponies, and dropping off a certain friend of the Apples. Now, Caramel trotted down the familiar paths of Sweet Apple Acres, looking for the eldest of the Apple siblings. Finding another wouldn’t be too disappointing, though.
“Mac!” He called, as he entered the desired grove. “Hey, Big, where are you?”
“Howdy.” Came the simple response from his left. “How ya been ‘Mel?” the large stallion greeted his friend.
“Hey, I’m doing good. How about yourself?”
Big Mac couldn’t hide the small smirk that fought its way onto his lips. “Ah’m doin’ jus’ fine.”
“Oh yeah?” Caramel’s smirk was far more obvious than his friend’s. “So, tell me, Did you ask her yet?” he asked, taking baskets from the cart that Mac had pulled up, and placing them around a nearby tree.
“Sorta.” Mac answered, as he planted a kick on the tree.
Caramel was shocked. “W-w-what?” He stuttered, “Seriously?” Mac just shrugged, his smile getting bigger and harder to fight. “I, uh, wow... So did she say yes?”
“Kinda.” Mac said, after a second of thought.
“Wow!” Carmel said, now thoroughly shocked. “Way to go!”
“How about you?” Mac retorted. “Did ya git the nerves ta ask anypony out yet?”
“Huh?” Carmel asked, surprised at the sudden turn in the conversation. “I, um, I’m not into anyone right now...”
“Really?” Big Mac countered, “‘Cause mah sister’s available.”
Carmel’s stomach clenched, “Uh… I, uh… don’t know what you mean?” He tried to act innocent.
It didn’t work.
Mac just looked at him with a raised brow and the same smirk that he had worn earlier.
“I, um, have to go, I’ll see ya later Mac.” Caramel called as he began to hurry away from his farmer friend, who was left chuckling at his friend’s expense.
The fog began to thin out, as we were propelled by the surge of water conjured by one of my crew. I turned around, finding my crew huddling together in fear, and Daring Doo latched tightly to one of my good legs.
I took a deep breath, finally noticing the speed and intensity of my heart rate. It felt like a woodpecker was attempting to burrow its way out of my ribcage. My breathing was shaky and desperate, my legs felt weak, and it was taking most of my willpower to keep my bowels under control.
“Ew,” Rainbow said, turning up her nose at the image, “Thanks a lot for that.”
“Well, that’s over.” Lumber Mill observed intelligently. He then tried to climb out of the empty barrel that he had donned as a protective measure. His attempts merely resulted in his face making forceful contact with the deck.
“Aye, that it be.” Sea Dog said, helping Schatzi to her paws.
“What now, Cap’n?” came the weak call of Pointer in the crow’s nest.
I glanced back at the ominous fog bank to the stern. “Ain’t no way Ah’m turnin’ round any time soon, so... forward.” I thought that I could barely make out the dim glow of the beast’s lights deep in the haze.
An uneasy murmur of “Aye”s came from the crew, except for the two that were emerging from the depths of the ship.
Astro emerged from the stairs to the lower decks with a content grin on his face. “How did I do, Captain?” He inquired with an almost stupid level of calm.
“Ya did jus’ fine.” I assured him as another pony emerged from behind.
“Soup’s on!” Announced Cookie, as the pudgy pony squeezed his way through the hatch. His jolly smile died quickly as he noted the sogginess of the deck and the crew. “OI! Wha’ happened up ‘ere?”
“So, he didn’t notice anything that happened?” Rainbow wondered, “He didn’t notice any of them freaking out? He didn’t see the thing? Heck, he didn’t notice the cannon going off?”
A quick explanation of what had happened, and we divided into shifts, allowing half of the crew to take a lunch break while the rest were watching for anything else that could damage the ship or the crew.
Lunch had passed rather uneventfully, and sailing was smooth. The still, dark waters lapped peacefully against the hull, while the gentle breeze carried us toward the still-unseen island. There were no clouds, and the sun shone upon us.
Something was wrong about the area, though. The sea breeze carried with it a bitter scent. The glassy sea was unnatural, and darker than normal, and if I stared long enough into the deep, I began to see things that may not have been there.
I shuffled uncomfortably at the helm, and Daring noted my irritation. “What’s up, Big Mac?” she trotted over to me and put a hoof on my own, as she continued, “You look worried, and It’s scaring the crew.”
I forced a smile, trying to make it confident and reassuring, but it probably looked pained. “Ah jus’ feel like there’s somethin’ wrong here.”
She took a step closer, leaning into my side, “Yeah, I know what you mean, I have been in my fair share of hairy situations. Heck, I’ve been in plenty of ‘cursed’ places, but this is just creeping me out.”
“We sure have...” Rainbow concurred, recalling every adventure she had shared through the adventurer’s books.
I nodded, “Eeyup, Ah ju-”
“Cap’n!” Pointer shouted from the crow’s nest, cutting off my thought. “Ye better take a look a’ this.” I looked up to see where he was pointing, and I followed his paw.
On the horizon, I could just make something out. “What is it?” I shouted back, as I noticed him climbing down the netting to the main deck.
He leapt from his position, to the net-ladder that allowed him to get to his post. Halfway down, he jumped to jib of the nearest sail, grasping it with his dextrous paws and swinging down to the deck. He landed his dismount, with acrobatic excellence, right beside Vince, who figured he should let his fellow crewman in on a secret.
“You know, if you wanted down, I could have grabbed you.” The large griffon said, with a raised eyebrow.
Pointer considered the proposition for a moment, before responding with, “Not as fun.” To which, Vince could only shrug. Then Pointer turned to me, “It be a… well, t’was a ship.” He informed me while handing me a spyglass.
I raised the viewing device to my eyes, and scoured the horizon for the ship he was talking about.
Then I found it.
Only the bow of the once-mighty vessel was still whole, various other bits and pieces of ship scattered the rougher waters around, including the flagstaff, with the tattered remains of a black flag swaying slightly in the light traces of wind. Apparently a scruffy seagull had decided it would be a nice place to nap, and was now sleeping awkwardly atop the wreckage. The spyglass dipped lower, and I could see more of the remnants, as well as an assortment of other ships scattered among the rocks of the reef.
Rainbow Dash got a chill at the eerie image of the naval graveyard, though it could have been a gust through her open window.
I knew that if I didn’t get through this correctly, my ship would join them, and my crew would be visiting the crews of those same ships. I knew I had to make a decision. “Sea Dog,” I called to my first mate, “What’s the tide?”
“Tide be comin’ in, Cap’n.” He shouted back.
I knew the way to get through. “Stow the sails, an’ drop anchor, we’ll wait till the tide comes in, then we sail through.” An assortment of affirmatives rang out from the crew, and I watched as the increasingly efficient crew hurried to accomplish the tasks that I had given them. Sails were stowed, riggings were loosed, and the anchor loosed to the depths. I was pleased with how the crew worked, but all good things must come to an end.
“Watch out!” came the desperate plea of somepony who had lost control of one of the sails. I managed to see only the last few moments of what was happening. The loose sail caught a gust and swung the jib to starboard, where it made sudden contact with the back of Chance’s head.
“Oooh…” Rainbow Dash was very familiar with that sensation, having had her share of concussions through the years. “That smarts…”
The dog was knocked forward, and dazed. He attempted to recover, but whenever he tried to stand straight, he lost his balance and stumbled further, until he tripped over the side of the ship.
Someone shouted, “Sailor overboard!” and the entire crew began to rush to the dog’s aid. By the time I reached the side of the ship, he had resurfaced.
He coughed and sputtered, and began to look around, confused. As his situation became clear to him, he looked up to the ship and called back, “I’m ok!” He licked his chops, and his ears perked up. “Cap’n! This water’s fresh!” Red flags began to go up in my mind as he said that.
I looked back to Chance as he was greedily lapping up the water that was all around him. “Don’t drink it!” I heard somepony to my left shout out, and when I looked, I noticed it was Grog.
For the first time in a while, I agreed with the superstitious, judgmental, drunk.
“I’ll get him!” Gilda screeched, as she hoisted herself over the edge of the ship.
I began to look around, and apparently, at the mention that the water was fresh, ponies and dogs had begun to gather buckets to haul in the liquid treasure. I noticed that several had made it to the deck, and some of the crew had begun to drink it, or haul it to the hold where the rest of the drinking water was stored.
I refused to let this cursed drink onto my ship, so I took action. “No!” I shouted, and began to knock the buckets over, dumping their contents on the deck or over the edge. Every time one of my hooves made contact with a bucket, it was met with complaints. “Grog’s right! Somethin’s wrong with it!”
My exclamation was met with shocked expressions and wariness.
Rainbow shrugged, “Well, he has made a name for himself.”
“Grog’s right?” came the disbelieving voice of Smoky Mirror, whose bucket had been the most recent to be emptied across the deck. “Why do you say that, Captain?”
Chance, now licking himself dry on the deck, chipped in, “Yeah, it seems fine to…” Halfway through his sentence, he froze. He shuddered once, then his pupils dilated, and all of his muscles relaxed.
All on board stared at him, anticipating his next action. His head rolled to the side, then he looked me in the face, smiled, and passed out.
The entire crew stared at the limp form of a perpetually energetic pup, willing that whatever had just happened, hadn’t happened because of the water.
It was.
As every other crewman who drank from the ocean began to drop with a heavy thud; those of us who hadn’t, recognized a large problem. A quick scan of the crew revealed that less-than-half of my, already understaffed crew, remained standing.
“Stitch!” I shouted to the crew’s medical expert, “Try an’ figure out so-” I stopped my order before it got the whole way out, as I noticed the slightly jittery medic sleeping peacefully and cuddling up to, a similarly incapacitated, Lumber Mill.
“Dang…” I muttered, as I realized that I, nor anyone else, knew how long the rest of the crew would be out.
A sudden shout of, “Somepony help!” drew my attention back to the conscious crew members, including Smoky Mirror, who couldn’t manage to squirm out from under the massive, heavy, black form of my first mate, who had passed out and landed upon the unicorn.
While Vince and Gilda aided the trapped unicorn, I began to bark out orders. “Some of ya set up a sick bay. The rest of ya, let’s git ‘em below decks.” I said, as I slid the floppy body of Schatzi over my back.
After a while of moving the remaining crew to the impromptu sick bay, I called a meeting on the main deck. “Alright,” I said to those gathered before me, “We gotta git through there,” I pointed to the choppier waters around the reef, “At high tide, so do any o’ ya know how ta tell tides?” I asked with little hope.
That little bit of hope was not in vain, however, “I do, Captain Mac.” Astro said, raising a hoof.
“R-really?”
“Yeah, it’s just the movement of the sun and moon, so it’s not too hard.” He said calmly, a goofy, clueless smile plastering his face.
“Do ya know when high tide will be?” I asked him hopefully.
“Yeah, in like two hours.” He responded as though it was obvious.
“Sounds like Pinkie.” Rainbow mused, remembering her energetic friend’s strange knowledge of just about anything.
I began to decide what had to happen. “Alright, here’s the plan. Darin’, Gilda, an’ Vince, y’all fly ahead o’ the ship, an’ look for the deepest water, give directions ta Pointer, an’ Pointer tell me.” They responded with varied salutes, nods, or other affirmatives. “The rest of ya, we’ll be runnin’ on a skeleton crew, so rest up an’ git some vittles in ya.” They all hurried off to find a place to sleep, or gather up some food from the galley.
“Heheh,” Dash chuckled, “Vittles… Heh.”
Cookie then came up to me, a slightly worried expression on his face, “Cap, Oi don’ kno’ wha’ Oi’m doin’.” He shuffled a little, causing the boards beneath his hooves to creak with the strain of the immense stallion. “Oi’m no doctor.”
I patted him on the shoulder, “Ya know better’n me.” I thought for a second, “Try wavin’ somethin’ smelly around their snouts.” Cookie chuckled at my suggestion, and went off to try something, while I began the walk back to my cabin.
As I pushed open the door, I heard Daring Doo’s lovely voice from behind. “Hey, Macintosh, do you think we could talk a little?” It was an honest enough question, and her timid smile was reassuring, but the question itself worried me.
“Eeyup.” I answered, holding the door to my cabin open so that she could enter before me. “What’s on yer mind?”
“Well, I was thinking that, well, we haven’t really had much time to just talk. You know, just the two of us.” She explained, pulling up one of the pillows from the stack in the corner of my cabin. I did the same, seating myself across from her. “So, Big Mac,” She giggled slightly, enjoying my nickname, “What are your plans for the future?”
“Right now,” I began, donning a thoughtful expression, “Ah plan ta git through the reef.” My comment was met with a wing to the face.
Rainbow nodded her approval, “I would’ve done the same thing.”
“You know what I meant.” She scolded. “Long term. Like settle down, start a family, that kind of plan.” Her clarifications, became less and less confident as she went on.
“Darin’, Ah don’t plan ta settle down any time soon,” I informed her, “Sellin’ the ship an’ buyin’ a house ain’t on mah agenda.” I shuffled a little, swallowing a lump in my throat, “But startin’ a family ain’t outta the picture.”
“You can’t raise kids very well on a ship.” Daring Doo assured me.
“Ah know.” I told her, “But a family don’t mean jus’ kids. A family is who ya care ‘bout, those that ya can’t live without.”
“Oh…” She said, beginning to understand.
“An’ Ah think that yer family.” I finished with a hopeful smile.
She sat stock-still for a moment, until her eyes began to water, emotion welling up within her, and she leapt at me, wrapping me in a hug. “Awww! Mac, that’s so sweet!” she nuzzled into my neck, “You’re my family too…”
We continued to talk for a while, until a knock came at my door, accompanied by Astro calling, “Captain, high tide is in a half an hour, we should probably get started now.”
Rainbow Dash had finished reading the latest chapter, showered, and started to pretty herself up a little. She didn’t go too crazy, she was just going to the Apple’s after all, but this time, she was going as Mac’s marefriend.
Just thinking that word made her giddy.
She finished brushing her hair, grabbed Mac’s book and some money, and took off for town. After a quick stop at the local ice cream shop, she was once-again headed for the Apple homestead. She flew low, just above the canopies of the trees. Rainbow knew that the Apple family always ate dinner around now, but when it was more important than usual, things got frantic, so she took her time.
Rainbow set down on the porch, embracing her last few moments of peace before she dove into whatever was about to happen.
She balanced the quart of ice cream on her back, while she raised her hoof to the door, braced herself and knocked.
“Wait.” Rainbow scolded herself. “I never knock.” So she pushed the door open and walked in.
Apple Bloom had no idea why her older siblings were so panicked. It was just dinner, right?
She busied herself with coloring while Big Macintosh set the table and Applejack tried to finish making dinner, constantly tripping over the other one.
“Watch where yer goin’ ya big oaf!” Applejack accused, while nearly dropping the large bowl of salad that she was carrying over to the table. “This’s gotta be perfect.”
“Ya think Ah don’t know that?” Mac accused, while he tried to straighten the tablecloth that his sister had misaligned in her rush.
Adults were weird.
Before Apple Bloom could return to her art class homework, a knock at the door alerted her to a newcomer. “Ah got it!” She announced, happy to get away from those crayons for a little.
Nothing ruined coloring, like being told that you needed to do it.
By the time she reached the door, the pony on the other side had already let herself in. “Howdy, Rainbow Dash!”
“Hey, squirt,” Rainbow Dash greeted the minuscule pony at her hooves. “What’s going on?”
“Oh!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, “Mac’s marefriend is coming fer dinner!”
“Is he now?” Rainbow returned slyly. “Hey, AJ, how’s it going?”
“Howdy, Rainbow,” Applejack returned, hanging her mother’s old apron on a rack in the kitchen. “Like Apple Bloom said, Mac’s marefriend’s comin’ any minute, so Ah’m sorry, yer gonna have ta leave.”
“Aw…” Rainbow said, faking offense. “But I brought vanilla ice cream.”
“Wuh… uh… thanks, but… Why?” Applejack struggled to grasp what was happening.
“Well,” Rainbow explained, passing the chilled treat over to a smiling Macintosh, who placed it in the freezer. “When I was invited I figured that some sort of apple-cinnamon dessert would be served. And what goes better with that, than vanilla ice cream?”
“Wait… When you were…”
Mac pulled a chair back, allowing Rainbow Dash to have a seat. “Thanks, sweetie!” He smiled happily and nodded, pouring a glass of apple juice for his guest.
Applejack blinked several times, while her brain attempted to catch up with her eyes.
Apple Bloom grasped what was happening before her sister, though. “Rainbow Dash? You’re datin’ mah brother? Scootaloo’s gonna be so jealous!”
“Wha…?” Applejack’s mind began to connect some dots. “Ya mean… y’all are…”
“Eeyup.” Her brother confirmed, wrapping his hoof around Rainbow Dash, who smiled sheepishly.
“Buh… Muh… Wh…” Then, things clicked for Applejack. “One of ya coulda told me!” She screamed.
“And ruin this moment?” Dash asked, while sharing a look with her sweetheart. “Never.”
Applejack shook her head, she just had a hard time grasping that Rainbow Dash was dating, let alone her brother. Deciding that dinner would be a fine time to discuss this further, she turned to her little sister, “Apple Bloom, uh, jus’ go find Granny, it’s time fer dinner.”
“Ok, Sis.” And with that, Apple Bloom went off in search of her grandmother.
Mac went to the kitchen to get the rest of the food for dinner. Then, as Applejack’s face continued to contort in confusion and misunderstanding, Rainbow Dash chimed in. “I don’t know whether to laugh at how hard this is for you to grasp, or to be insulted.” Her ears tucked back slightly, “Do you really think I’m that bad of a marefriend for Mac?”
“What!” Applejack wouldn’t stand for that. “Dash, yer a great friend, an’ Ah think that ye’ll be a great marefriend fer mah brother.” As she finished up, Applejack wrapped her friend in a firm hug, reassuring Dash of her decision. “Ah’m just a mite confused.”
At this point, Mac returned from the kitchen, and noticed the two mares hugging and smiling. “Well, AJ, Ah’m glad ya approve.”
The farm girl looked up at her brother, “Of course Ah approve!” She stood up, and walked over to the big, red stallion, and nudged him playfully. “Ah’m jus’ not sure which of ya ta threaten.”
The three of them shared a laugh, then Applejack realized something. “Hey, where’s Apple Bloom an’ Granny?”
About that time, Granny made herself known. “Lemme go, ya little varmint!”
“Granny, AJ wants me ta git ya fer dinner!” The three ponies in the kitchen looked out into the hall, to find Applebloom pushing Granny Smith through the house, a book perched on the elder mare’s back.
“Ah told ya, Ah’d come when Ah found this book.” The elder mare waved the hardbound book around, barely revealing the green, apple-half on it’s cover.
Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom looked at the book with confusion, Big Mac with a look of complete and utter horror, and Applejack with a disturbing, sadistic smile.
“It’s Little Mackie’s photo album!” At Granny’s announcement, Rainbow joined Applejack in the sadistic and twisted smile group.
“Oh?” Rainbow eyed the bindings of the book. “Little Mackie?” She glanced at the only male in the room, who was sweating. “I can’t wait to see those pictures, Granny Smith.”
“Well, dearie, yer gonna have ta wait.” Granny Smith scolded, “The entertainment is fer after dinner!”
“Uh…” Mac began, desperate to protect his masculinity. “Granny, ya know ya don’t have ta show her the pictures.”
“Aw, fiddlesticks, Ah’m sure this pretty little filly would love ta see em!” Granny said, gesturing to Rainbow Dash. “By the way, how did ya meet Little Mackie?”
All of the ponies, now sitting around the table, looked at Granny Smith with shock. “Granny, Ah’ve been bringin’ Rainbow over fer a while.” Applejack reminded her grandmother.
“Ah think Ah’d remember a face this pretty!” Granny said, smiling at a blushing Rainbow Dash.
Applejack blinked a couple of times, then decided to move on. “So, how did this happen?”
Rainbow shuffled in her seat, “Well, I had a bit of a crush on him for a little while, and we hung out a little, like at the last ‘girl’s night’ at the spa.”
“Wait, ya said ya were watchin’ the Crusaders.” Applejack reminded her.
“Well, kind of.” Rainbow said, scratching the back of her head. “I just said that to get out of going to the spa, and then Mac and I helped the Crusaders on their camping trip.”
“Yeah!” Applebloom shouted, agreeing with the story. “She made stew!”
“Then, I, uh, well…” Rainbow faded off, too embarrassed to continue.
“She found out that Ah liked her too,” Mac continued for her, “So she told me, an’ Ah asked her out. The rest is history.”
Applejack looked over them closely. “Ya know, Ah wanna hear the full story, but that’ll work fer now.”
Dinner went well, the Apples were all very welcoming to Rainbow. However, now, dinner was over, dessert had been served, Apple Bloom was put to bed, and Granny Smith was humiliating Macintosh.
“Granny, can’t we jus’ skip the bath pictures?”
“‘Course not silly!” She said, “These are some o’ mah favorites.”
“Hahaha! Cute ducky, Mac!”
“Those bubbles ain’t from soap! Hah!”
“Ugh…”
“Aw! Look at that! You were so cute!”
“Here’s his first time workin’ the fields,”
“Ya called that a buck? Hah!”
“Hey, I think it’s cute!”
“Thanks…”
“Mac?” Rainbow asked, now standing below her house. “How do you feel about meeting my parents soon?”
Mac’s ears perked up, and his heart started to pump faster. “Well, Ah figure it’s gotta happen soon… So Ah guess that’s alright.”
“Awesome!” She said, wrapping him in a tight hug. “How do you feel about heights?”
Mac blinked a couple times, “Ah don’t got a problem with ‘em, but what am Ah signin’ up for?”
Rainbow let go and squirmed where she stood, “Well, I was planning on going to see my parents in Cloudsdale, so I was wondering if you would be willing to come along and meet them.”
Mac was honestly shocked, and he thought that his marefriend hadn’t thought this through, “Well, sure, but how am Ah gonna get there?”
“Twilight’s coming home tomorrow, so I could see if she would lend us her balloon, and if she could put the cloudwalking spell on you.” Rainbow explained, having obviously thought this through. “Oh, my parents are going to love you, but I should warn you that they would probably expect a pegasus.”
“Uh, o...ok.”
“Thanks, Mac!” Rainbow Dash said, holding him tightly in a passionate hug. “You’re the best!”
And with that, she took off for the sky, leaving Mac to ponder what he had signed himself up for with this one. Then, he smiled and walked off towards his house, pleased with his decision in mares.