A MacDash Wedding Collaboration
Chapter 3: Announcements
Written by: Jake the Army Guy
Okay, just get this over with.
Rainbow Dash paced back and forth across the plush cloud floor of her living room, her tail flicking behind her. After the... interesting encounter at the farm, she had left Mac there to prepare for their friends. While she couldn't wait to share the good news with them, there was somepony else she had to tell first.
Her young charge sat on her couch looking up at her pace with eager anticipation. Dash could only cast an occasional glance toward the couch; the prospect of seeing the possible hurt in those young eyes was almost too much for her to bare.
Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke. "Okay, you're probably wondering why I wanted to talk to you. There's something I need to tell you, some big news, and I wanted to tell you myself, in private, before everypony else knew. I... I owe you that much.
"Look, I know that when we first met, I was kind of a jerk to you. I didn't think you were anything special, thought there's no way I would waste my time with somepony so," she bit her lip, "lame. But I was wrong! I mean..."
Rainbow growled in frustration. This was so much easier in her head. "Look, I suck at the whole... feelings thing, but you know how much you mean to me! I took you into my life, taught you how to be cool, taught you how to fly! Sometimes it feels like... like you're the kid I never had. Which is why I thought you deserved to hear this first." Rainbow took a deep breath. "Macintosh and I are getting married."
She threw up a hoof to stem any questions. "I know, I know, this is a big deal. You know how much I care about you, but Mac is... well, he's like the missing half I didn’t know I was missing. He makes me feel... good," she said with a goofy grin, confident that nopony else could see.
"Now, yeah, this is gonna bring some changes. We obviously won't have as much time to spend together, but I want you to know that does not mean I don't care about you. We'll still hang out, fly, read comics and stuff. But it may not be as often as you like." Finally, she stopped pacing and knelt by the couch, locking eyes with her young charge. "You understand, right?"
With trademark slowness, Tank's wrinkle lips rose into a smile, blinking in oblivious happiness at her owner's face. Glacially, his stubby leg raised up expectantly.
Dash grinned and bumped her hoof against his leg. "Knew I could count on you, dude."
"Hey, Rainbow Dash!"
Dash rose from the couch and peered out the window at the ground below. Scootaloo stood atop her scooter, waving at her. "'Sup, Squirt? I'll be down in a second. Oh, Hey, guess what? Me and Mac are getting married!"
The scene around her should have had Rainbow Dash in the best of moods: her loving coltfriend—Fiance, she reminded herself with a silent and totally not girlish squeal—nestled by her side in front of a picnic table at Sweet Apple Acres; four of her five closest friends in the world around her, talking about random things, though also muttering about why they were all gathered; her young charge Scootaloo playing with her fellow Crusaders, sworn to silence about the good news under threat of duct tape. Yet even with this serenity, Dash could only think one thing.
Stupid Thunderlane...
What was his deal? She had known him for a while, considered him a friend, even, though not one she would regularly hang out with. He was an amazing flyer with great endurance, giving even her a run for her money at the Wonderbolts Academy. He was a bit lazy at times, but then so was she. In many ways, they were a lot alike—and if she was honest, he was pretty good looking: nice muscles, bright eyes, an affable yet goofy smile.
And yeah, if she was being honest and totally uncool, she did kinda have a crush on him at some point, but it never went anywhere. A smile here, a teasing taunt there, sure, but never an direct sign of possible romance. Heck, she never even thought about dating period before Macintosh, so why was Thunderlane so dead-set on “winning her over?” The thought sent a tiny shudder through her wings; what if he was some kind of stalker? SHould she worry about Mac’s safety? Nah, Mac was as tough as they came; he could handle Thunderlane. But still...
A gentle nudge at her side snapped her out of her reverie. She turned to look at Mac. “Hm?”
“I said, is everything alright? You’re grindin’ yer teeth harder than an cider press.” He leaned down to softly nuzzle her. “Nervous?”
“No, no,” she sighed. “It’s just... have you ever cared for somepony, but stil wanna punch them in the face?”
“Eeyup,” Mac said with a sly grin. “They’re called fiances.”
“Hm,” Rainbow said, nodding. “Hey!”
Mac just grinned wider. “See?”
As Rainbow grunted at him—complete with a hard elbow to his muscular chest and a protracted grown from Applejack—Rarity sighed dramatically from her seat at the opposite side of the table. “Rainbow Dash, do we really have to wait until Twilight gets here before you tell us your big news? It’s positively scorching out here! I think I’m starting to sweat!” she said as she fanned herself with a hoof.
“Rarity, I know you ain’t the most ‘rough and tumble’ of ponies,” Applejack said, “but are you really that afraid of sweating?”
“For your information, Applejack, I just came from the spa when Pinkie practically abducted me for this little soiree.”
“Rares, you always just came from the spa!”
Before Rarity could finish her indignant huff, a loud trumpeting fanfare made all the gathered ponies jump and look skyward. High above them, a grand chariot of pearl and gold inlays was swooping down, pulled by several stalwart-looking Royal Guards.
Rarity took one look at the buff, stallionly guards and blushed, primping her mane. “Well, now I am glad I just came from the spa.”
The chariot finally landed in the field beside them. The pegasus Guards unhitched themselves from the front and trotted back to the door. They opened it, and an orange pegasus in flashy armor stepped out, eyes hard in stark contrast to the affable smile on his lips. He nodded to the other two guards, then all three fanned out across the field, heads swiveling back and forth in search of danger.
A wrinkled, stuffy looking unicorn stepped out of the chariot and onto the grass. His salt-and-pepper mane was neatly coiffed, and his suit looked to be made of the finest silk.
The unicorn took a place beside the door, cleared his throat, and spoke in a loud, commanding tone. “Presenting Her Royal Highness, Keeper of Magic, Lady of the Everfree Province, Princess Twilight Sparkle!” From inside the chariot, a very pointed cough made the unicorn roll his eyes. “And company.”
As he spoke, Twilight stepped daintily from the carriage, Spike sitting atop her back. Twilight’s multi-pointed crown sat upon her purple and pink mane, and she was dressed in a very regal looking dress, one that even Rainbow Dash had to admit to herself looked beautiful.
As Twilight passed the old unicorn, Spike leered at the senchal, arms folded petulantly as Twilight approached her friends with a beatific smile on her face. She looked to be doing her best impression of Princess Celestia’s trademark matronly smile, but Dash could see the tiny hints of unease in her eyes.
Twilight approached the picnic table with regal poise, each step dainty and calculated, her head held high. The amassed ponies looked to each other in slight confusion... except for Rainbow, who couldn't stop a quiet snerk from her tight lips.
Eventually, Rarity seemed to fall victim to decorum and knelt into a bow. All the other ponies followed suit, albeit slowly. Dash stood, hoof pressed to her lips to silence her building giggles, until a sharp hoof to her elbow knocked her to the ground. She glared at Mac. "Hey!"
"Rainbow, it's a princess!" he hissed.
"It's Twilight."
"Who is a princess!"
Twilight gave them a cordial nod. “Please, rise, my subjects,” she said in a honeyed, regal tone.
Slowly, they all rose from the ground, shooting each other confused gazes. A thick silence filled the air until Rarity cleared her throat. “Umk, Twilight, is everything... okay?”
“Of course it is, my little pony.” Dash couldn’t take it anymore. She fell back to the ground in a hale of giggles, clutching her sides.
Instantly, Twilight's facade broke. "What? Too much?"
"Oh, no," Fluttershy said. "It was very, um..." She cast a glance to Applejack.
"Regal?" Applejack offered.
"Yes! It was very, um... regal."
Dash wiped a tear from her eye and looked up at the distraught princess. "She... S-she said my little po—" Another wave of guffaws escaped her.
Rarity placed a gentle hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I think what Rainbow Dash is trying to say is that it's just so... er, sudden? You always talk about not wanting to be treated differently, after all."
"Well, yes," Twilight said hesitantly, "but weren't you the one who said I should 'embrace it'?"
"Darling, there's embracing it... and then there's smothering it."
Spike, who had jumped off Twilight's back, gently poked the rolling Rainbow Dash. "Uh, she may be right, Twi. I think you broke Rainbow Dash."
Dash wiped a tear from her eye and looked up at them. "Y—you... y-y-you... pfft-fft-fft-bwa-ha-ha-ha!"
"What brought all this on, Twi?" Applejack asked.
Twilight sighed, snatched the crown from her head and started to wiggle out of her frumpy dress. "Celestia is sending me—urf, stupid zipper—on a peace delegation to Dromidaria next month. She suggested that I brush up on... on my, oof, my royal etiquette!" With a mighty yank, she finally broke free of the dress.
As she finished, the orange pegasus walked up behind her and snapped a salute. "The area is secure, your highness."
"Oh. Uh, thank you," Twilight said, pointedly not looking at the studly pegasus.
Throughout this, Pinkie was openly staring at the pegasus guard. "Hey, Twilight, isn't that the guy who—"
"Guards me!" Twilight shrieked, causing everypony to jump. A toothy grin broke out on her face. "Yes, he's my... my guard! He, he guards me from... uh, things I , n-n-need guarding from!" She turned to the pegasus. "Thank you, Lieutenant Sentry. Now, would you mind putting this back in the chariot?" she asked, floating the balled up dress to him.
"Of course, Princess. Always happy to help," he said with a warm grin before trotting off towards the carriage.
As Twilight watched him leave with a goofy grin, Rarity spoke. "Twilight, that is him, isn't it? The hunky stallion you had a fling with in that other world?"
"I did not have a fling!" Twilight hissed. "And that wasn't him, it was his... counterpart. He," she said, gesturing towards the pegasus, "doesn't know anything about it."
"But didn't you say he had the same voice?"
"Well, yes, but—"
"And the same expressive eyes?" Fluttershy asked.
"Okay, he—"
"The same kind nature?" Applejack asked.
"Now, I—"
"And the same—what was the phrase you used—'dreamy smile'?" Rarity asked.
"Okay, okay! I get the point!" Twilight said with a huff.
"So, why don't you talk with him about it?" Applejack said.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Yes, because that wouldn't be awkward at all! 'Hi, I totally had a crush on you in some alternate monkey dimension where we were high school students'!"
Pinkie Pie gave a dreamy sigh. "A tale as old as time."
"Uh... yeah, so anyway, we're all here now," Applejack said, looking to Rainbow, "how about we hear this big secret?"
Once Rainbow had calmed herself down; and hanging from Mac’s yoke she looked out at her friends and smiled. “Okay, are you guys ready for this most awesome news?” she asked, looking around and giving Mac a second glance seeing that he was ready as well. He just nodded as she turned back to the friends gathered.
“Well don’t keep us all waitin’, just tell us already,” Applejack said, tapping her hoof on the table. Obviously this had been getting on her nerves.
“Oh! Oh! I know!” Pinkie shouted, making everypony stare at her, Rainbow Dash in horror.
"Pinkie don't-"
“Rainbow’s pregnant and Macs the father right?!” Not a sound was made as everypony stared at Pinkie. Far off in the orchards of the farm a bird was chirping, not knowing it was adding to the tension of the situation. Then time started to resume as Applejack turned towards Rainbow and Mac whose faces had gone pale.
“That. Better. Not. Be. The. News.” She said through gritted teeth, giving a death glare at each of the ponies.
Mac gulped hard. "No, no it ain't." He cast a nervous glance to Rainbow. "It ain't... is it?"
"What? No!" Dash said.
Mac leaned down to her ear. "I mean, you were in season a few months ago..."
"Yeah, but remember I had that thing from Zecora that I stuck up—"
"Alright! That's enough of that, yeah?" Twilight chuckled awkwardly, her hooves clamped on Spike's ears.
"Okay, guys, me and Mac—"
"Finally decided to try out my chimi-Apple-chonga recipe?" Pinkie said.
"No, we decided—"
"You're giving up flying for farming?"
"Pinkie—"
"Oh, oh! This chapter was delayed because the hack author wouldn't get off his lazy plot and write something?"
"Pinkie!" Dash shouted. "What are you even doing? You already know the secret!"
"I know, but guessing is just so much fun," she said with a bounce.
"Ooo-kay. Uh, anyway..." Dash cleared her throat and did her best to control the goofy grin threatening to spill across her face. She actually had butterflies in her stomach! All her friends looked to her and Mac with expectant grins, and a swell of some odd emotion filled her. The picture in her head of their faces when she slowly laid it out for them, the building tension of it all! She could tell that Mac felt the same way; his muscles were twitching with the same nervous energy hers were.
She took a deep breath. "Well, you all know me and Mac have gotten real—"
"They're getting married!" Scootaloo squealed, then cringed under the fierce glare from Rainbow. "Uh, heh... sorry."
A deathly silence fell over the field. A cricket, blissfully unaware of its impeccable timing, chirped a happy tune. Rainbow Dash looked hopefully at the slack jaws and wide eyes I her friends. The oppressive quiet was finally broken by Applejack.
"What?"
The spell broken, her friends erupted into a chorus of clopping hooves and excited cries of congratulations.
Apple Bloom raced to her brother's hooves. "You mean you two are really gettin' married?!"
"Eeyup."
"Do you know what this means?" Scootaloo said.
"We're totally gonna be sisters!" Apple Bloom squealed.
Sweetie Belle spoke up. "Um, Scootaloo, you know that you're not really related to Rain—" She was cut off as the other two scooped her up into a bear hug, squealing and shouting with joy. With a sigh, she smiled and embraced them, joining as they began to hop around the table. Sweetie blindly reached out and grabbed the nearest pony to join them, which happened to not be a pony at all.
"Hrk!" Spikes eyes bulged from his head at the steely embrace of the Crusaders, swept into their cyclone of glee. "Twilight... help! Girly overdose!"
"Oh, Rainbow Dash, congratulations!" Rarity said. "Have you decided on a date yet? Oh, please tell me it will be a fall wedding. I can do so much with autumn colors."
"Actually, it's the Saturday after next."
"W... What?! That's... why, that's only ten days! Rainbow, this is your wedding! These things have to be taken slowly!"
"Rarity, did you just use my name and the word 'slow' in the same sentence?"
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Still, how am I supposed to design your wedding gown in only ten days?"
Rainbow waved her hoof dismissively. "Don't with about that. I appreciate it, but I'm actually just gonna wear my mom's old wedding dress."
"No, no, no, no. Rainbow, darling, I'm afraid I must insist. I realize that you are not the most... eh, fashion forward of ponies. But this is your wedding dress. It simply must be fabulous."
"I..." Rainbow bit her lip. "I remember my mom always used to talk about seeing me wear it one day. "I know it'd mean the world to my dad..."
Rarity silenced her with a hoof. "Say no more, dear. However, you are quite the lithe mare. Should you need to have the dress adjusted, I am at your beck and call. Though, perhaps you would not be averse to me adding just a few accents?"
"We'll see."
"Rainbow, Macintosh, we are all so happy for you!" Twilight said. "All of us are willing to help out in any way we can."
"Well, actually, Miss Twilight," Mac began, scuffing the ground beneath him with a hoof, "we were hop in' you could do a bit more than just help out. We were wondering if you'd be willing t' officiate the ceremony."
Twilight gasped. "You... you do?"
"Eeyup. Granny tells me that th' princesses sometimes do it, and seeing as how you're the whole reason you six got together..."
"I..." Twilight brought a hoof to her chest. "I’d be honored."
"Awesome!" Rainbow said. "Of course, Pinke, you'll be handling the reception, and Fluttershy, you..." Rainbow finally looked to her timid friend. Noting the slightly more withdrawn than normal look in her eye, she stepped over to lay a hoof on her shoulder. "Shy?"
Fluttershy tensed at the light touch. She shook her head and turned to Dash. "Um, yes?"
"Is everything alright?"
"Oh, yes," she said, though not without a slight tremble to her words. "I'm just... so happy for you and Mac."
Dash arched an eyebrow, but quickly shook it off, giving Fluttershy a warm smile. "Heh, thanks. Now, I could think of nopony better to be my Mare of Honor. What do you say?"
An odd look passed over Fluttershy's face, though it was so brief that Dash thought she probably imagined it as Shy smiled at her.
"I'd be honored, Dash."
"Thanks, Shy," Dash said, leaning in to give her a light nuzzle.
Mac smiled warmly at the sight, then turned to Rarity. "Now, Miss Rarity, I know Dashie said she won't be needin' yer help with the dress, but we are gonna need you to spruce up the place. Think you could handle the decorations?"
Rarity positively beamed. "Macintosh Apple, just you wait. I guarantee that you shall have the most fabulous wedding hall in equestrian history! Why, I can already see the colors in my head: bold reds, rainbow accents, oh-ho-ho! Now, have you two decided where you will be holding the service?"
Mac nodded, then he and Rainbow spoke in unison:
"The farm!"
"Cloudsdale!"
Rainbow Dash never claimed to be the most perspective when it came to group dynamics, but even she could see the awkward, uncomfortable smiles on her friends faces.
The two blinked, then looked to each other with forced grins. Rainbow spike first. "Uh, heh, Mac, I thought we agreed on Cloudsdale."
"No, Dashie. We agreed to talk about Cloudsdale."
"And what's wrong with the farm?" AJ asked, walking over to Rainbow and Mac. "Granny was married on the farm, Ma and Pa were, only makes sense Mac was as well," she said, slamming her hoof on the ground.
"Applejack, know ain't the time ta-" before Mac could say anything else, his sister had taken her argument up again.
"Besides, if ya recall Dashie, most of our family, soon to be yours as well, are Earth Ponies, how are we supposed to get up there in them clouds?" Applejack was now inches away from Dash's face who was glaring at her.
"I told you not to call me Dashie!" she growled back at her.
"Ah'd hear Mac callin you that all them times yer alone," Applejack said, smirking at Rainbow. "And if Ah recall, any time he did you started to giggle like a little filly,"
"Say one more thing and you will be-"
"That's enough you two!" Mac shouted, stepping between the two, his massive frame almost blocking the each other from almost even seeing one another. "Applejack, Ah appreciate you defendin the farm, but this is Rainbow's and Ah's weddin. We will figure it out," Mac turned to his fiance and gave her a warm smile, trying to reassure her, trying to end any fight that could happen. After being with Rainbow for so long, he learned a long time ago he will never win an argument with her unless they were both calm.
"Dashie," he whispered in her ear so no others could hear him. "We'll talk about this tonight, let's not let this moment be ruined because of us actin like fools," he whispered. Dash who was still red in the face, out of anger at Applejack for using that nickname, and now Mac who used it making her want to either punch him or kiss him, just gave out a grunt.
"Fine." Rainbow huffed, looking away as Mac grinned. He nuzzled her affectionately to which Rainbow returned at once. Mac opened his eyes slightly to look at her as he did, but as he did his eyes caught that of Fluttershy who was looking at the pair with longing, but as soon as her eyes met Mac's her face went red and she turned away at once.
As the pair got lost within one another, each one of the ponies gathered there tried to do something else to escape the awkward moment. The CMC didn't seem to have noticed anything as they were still hugging each other as they jumped in a circle, Spike still there hostage and trying to escape. Rarity had moved over to Applejack, who seemed to be on the edge of beating one of the lovers still. Fluttershy was not paying any attention to the situation at all, and looked like she was just wanting to get away from it all. Thus leaving Twilight and Pinkie Pie to themselves.
That was when Twilight noticed something, Pinkie had not said a word since Rainbow told her she would be in charge of the reception. Turning towards the Party Mare, Twilight was shocked at what she saw. Pinkie Pie was perfectly still for once. She had a blank expression in her eyes, and it seemed like her mind had snapped.
"Um Pinkie? Is everything alright?" Twilight asked, taking a step towards her. She was unsure what this news did to Pinkie. Never had she seen Pinkie like this before.
Just then, a barely perceptible tremor began to wash over Pinkie. it started with just her tail, but soon her whole body was twitching. Sparks, actual sparks were dancing in her eyes, and Dash could literally see her every muscle spasming and preparing to explode.
Everypony at the table took a step back from Pinkie and raised their hooves to their ears, dreading the impending sonic assault. Her lips trembling, Pinkie stammered, "I...I-I get t-t-t-to p...plan Dashie's we—"
In an flash, Rainbow lunged across the table and jammed a hoof in Pinkie’s mouth. “Pinkie, Pinkie! Calm down. That’s it, ju—no, no! Breathe... breathe...”
Pinkie took a huge gulp of air and shuddered as it slowly escape her, her muscles no longer writhing beneath her fur. She cleared her throat and cast an even glance to Mac and Dash. “Big Macintosh? Rainbow Dash? Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. I look forward to planning the reception.” With a resolute nod, she calmly stepped back from the table and took up an even trot back towards Ponyville.
Even with Pinkie Pie gone, the crowed gathered were still enjoying one anothers company. Though the day’s events were starting to catch up with the rainbow mane mare, from cloud kicking, being confronted by Thunderlane, and putting a mob of mares in their place. She let out an involuntary yawn, that did not escape her fiance’s attention.
“Tired?” he asked, nudging the side of her face with his own. She shook her head no, but she let out another yawn. Looking towards the sky she saw that Celestia’s sun was beginning to sink in the late afternoon.
“Maybe a little.”
“Alright, how about ya spend the night at the farm then?” he asked, smiling at her with all good will he could muster up. “That way we can share the news with Granny, well, she actually knows already,” he said laughing a bit from the night before. “But she would like to hear it from you.”
“Fine,” Rainbow said smirking at him, “But I think there is another reason why you want your fiance to spend the night,” she gave him a playful smile while Mac just nodded to her, a small smile on his face. Their moment was interrupted by a loud grunt and the sound of hooves walking away. They looked up to see Applejack heading into town.
“Applejack, where are you going?” Rarity asked, surprised that Applejack would just get up and go like that.
“Into town,” she grumbled back at her.
“For what?”
“Heavy duty sleepin potion!”