//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Unexpected Family // by Bama Journeymane //------------------------------// "Sleeping on a couch sucks sour sugar cubes," groaned Dash as she stirred from her nap. The tired pegasus slowly put her hooves on the floor only to quickly pull them back, her teeth chattered, "cold!" Only the end of her nose stuck out from the quilt Granny had loaned her for the night. "Morning Dash," yawned Mac from his lazycolt chair, a steaming cup of coffee cradled in his hooves. Dash licked her lips. Coffee would be great right about now. "Why is it so cold in here?" Mac looked at his coffee and then back to the shivering pegasus before stumbling across the room and offering her his mug. The mug was a simple white thing with a big apple painted on the side with "I ate in the Big Apple" wrote across it in big bold letters. It was tempting, but Dash tried not to swap spit with other ponies if she could, the drunken game of spin the bottle with the girls notwithstanding. She had tasted cupcakes for weeks after that. "Uh, no thanks Mac," she said with a wave of her hoof. "I haven't drank any or anything, Rainbow, so you don't have to worry about germs," he said almost hurt. On second thought, "gimme that!" First sip burnt her tongue, but it was worth it. Warmth seeped into her bones and she was already feeling warmer. Looking up, she spotted Mac's grinning eyes. "Sorry, I'm cranky in the morning," she politely said trying to patch up her not so stellar manners. "It's the couch," said Mac flatly before sinking into the old thing next to her, "I slept on it for a while when Zecora was sick and was using my bed a while back, worst night of sleep I've ever had. Don't say I didn't warn you." "It was that or sleep with Bloom and—" "She snores like an ursa major, " finished Mac with a chuckle, "so do you." "He he." Pulling the quilt back, Dash gave the stallion a questioning look, "Still don't explain why it's so cold." Mac shot her a sheepish grin, "I haven't woken up enough yet to get the boiler going. I didn't figure on you being up so early." "I'm up early every day. Why do you think I take so many naps," Dash raised any eyebrow. Mac shrugged, "I guess I've never thought about it." The two sat in silence after that. Shadows played across their faces from the single oil lamp in the room. The sun was still a long ways off and they had a big day planed. Winter time was a slow time for the farmer and with little to do, it was enough to drive him or his fellow farmers a little stir crazy and helping Dash with her obstacle course was just the thing to break the madness, even if he did feel guilty about taking from his is sister one of her favorite winter time activities. Dash smiled. It was good to have an off day and she was thankful that weather work provided so many. Once a weather pattern was set it was more of a waiting game, the only busy times was when they had to move the weather in or out. But, it gave her plenty of time to hang with her friends and hone her craft, which was the most awesome thing ever: sport flying. With nothing to say, Mac ambled back to the stairs and descended into their basement/cellar/boiler room. The boiler room itself was isolated and insolated so that it wouldn't spoil what they stored in their cellar. Dash sniffed and then flopped back down on the couch, no since in getting up if she didn't have to. "Pop! Pop! Pshsss," The sound of the heated water moving through the living rooms radiator made her jump. Earth ponies and their strange heating systems, sheesh! It would be so much easier if they would just use a warm front cloud. Heck all it takes is one swift kick and those things start to radiate heat... and condensation. On second thought, it might make all the wood rot over time, earth ponies and their easily ruined houses. "Mornin' sleepy head!" said Granny cheerfully as she made her way from the kitchen. She was wrapped in a pinky fuzzy robe with a sleeping bonnet on her head. Her smile was so wide that her dentures threatened to leap out of her mouth, and then they did. "Plop!" "Oh my," cursed Granny as she leaned over to pick them up, "guess I'll just have to wash'em again." "Apples," Dash shook her head. "My is it cold in here," said AJ hoarsely. She didn't even hear her walk up. The cowpony sat down beside her friend, giving her a tired smile. "So you stayed the night," "Uh, yeah! Somepony has to look after ya," Dash looked around and saw that the two of them were alone. She quickly through her hoof around AJ's neck and pulled her close. From her new position, pressed against her friend's chest, she looked up and gave Dash a concerned look, "not that I'm complaining or anythin' but you sure are grabby this morning." Dash immediately let her go and scratched the back of her head, "Sorry about that AJ, it's just..." "Just what, sugar cube?" Her wings twitched, "can we talk about it later?" AJ nodded yes and then greeted her big brother who had just walked up from the boiler room. "Hey there Mac!" A blur of red pounced on the two mares and suddenly Dash felt uncomfortably warm. Heat radiated out from her face and she felt flush. "Feeling better, AJ. Did the fever break? Are you warm enough? Do you need a blanket? Are you hungry?" muttered Mac rapidly. "Yes, yes, no, yes, yes," said AJ flatly, "Now would you mind getting off of me?" "Enope," Mac climbed off of the two giving Dash an apologetic smile. So the snuggles were a byproduct of overly concerned big brother, I need one, thought Dash. "Mac!" shouted Granny from the kitchen. Mac looked towards the kitchen and back to the mares, "Granny needs me, so Rainbow you're in charge of getting what she needs." Dash gave him a mock salute, "Aye captain!" AJ gave Dash a flat look. "You hear that, I'm in charge!" beamed Dash. AJ groaned. Breakfast came and went without much fan fare and soon Mac and Dash were headed towards the Apple's corn field, now covered in several feet of snow. The wind the night before had created large snow drifts, large mountains of snow scattered here and there looking like large icily sand dunes. After fussing over warm clothes Dash finally succumbed and was currently wearing an orange nit toboggan (AJ's) and a blue and yellow scarf (Mac's) which looked like one she owned at home. Was Mac a Wonderbolts fan? Mac had traded his trade mark work collar for a yellow and blue scarf; much like the one Dash was wearing only the primary color was swapped, and a faux fur bomber hat that had flaps that framed his face. "Come on Mac your moving like molasses!" jeered Dash from above, her wings keeping her aloft. The stallion plowed through the snow like a dull plow. He wasn't getting anywhere fast. "I told you to grab some snow shoes." "What's the rush, Rainbow, we've got all day," he huffed. "Got all day? Got all day!" she yelled as she splayed her forehooves out wide, "winter days are short and it takes time to build a decent course. It's going to take hours just to set it up so we got to get there pronto!" Dash zoomed away. "I've got a bad feeling," muttered Mac under his breath. She quickly returned with two longish slats of wood. They had two little hoof straps on them that could be adjusted for stride. "What are those?" Dash gave him a wicked grin, "These are skis and your about to get a crash course in snow skiing." He gave her a flat look. "Don't look at me like that Mac, you're not going to be sliding off a mountain anytime soon. I'm going to pull ya' unless you're scared!" she said as dropped the skis at his hooves. Don't let her get to you. She's just trying to get to you like she does your sister, he thought as he gazed down at the skis. "Pony up!" she said as clapped her forehooves together. "Buck it," he cursed as he put on the skis. Pulling the rope out of his bag, he threw one end to Rainbow, "I'm ready" Dash smiled, "Hang on pony boy it's about to get crazy!" He didn't even have time to get a good bite on the rope before she took off. The white landscape flew by looking more like white caps than snow. Trees whizzed by and he smiled. This was as close to flying he was ever going to get and he wasn't going to waste it. She felt an odd tug on the rope. Looking back she saw that he was zig zagging to and fro. She started to slow down, fearing that he was having trouble hanging on. He pulled a hoof from one of the skis and motioned for her to keep going. He kept making the motion. Does he want me to go faster? She flapped harder. A wide smile stretched across his face. He does want to go faster! Soon she was rocketing across the snow covered earth, a sound like thunder chasing after. Mac spotted a rather large snow drift so he aimed for it. It approached and just as he was about to crest the top of he leapt and went almost horizontal and then vertical and then he landed after doing a complete barrel roll. His heart beat furiously in his chest; it was the biggest rush he had ever experienced even bigger than the time he had to run for his life from a pack of Timberwolves. He slid to a stop. Dash gazed at him with a slack jaw. "That was..." "That was..." "Eeyup!" said Mac grinning like a mad colt. "How did you?" "I dunno, just did." "You want to do it again?" she asked wanting to see what other trick the stallion could come up with, her own desire to do something awesome forgotten. "Eeyup!" Mac furiously nodded his head. "Hay yeah!" she replied with a pump of her hoof. She only ever had on other close friend that truly enjoyed physical activity and that was AJ. It seemed that it ran in the family and now it seemed that she had a stallion friend who enjoyed it just as much. Sure she would get some time in with Soarin from time to time after the incident at Rainbow falls but he wasn't available most of the time. And Thunderlane was cool until he started hitting on her. Perhaps this was the start of something new, Celestia knows she didn't have many stallions for friends and she really liked stallions because for the most part they got her more than her mare friends. Sweet Apple Acres was a sight for sore eyes as they spotted it in the distance. The rustic red of the barn stood out against the blanket of white. It was grumbling bellies that pulled them from their adrenalin fueled fun and food was something nopony waited for. Dash couldn't eat another meal with the Apples. They were good cooks, all of them, but any more and she would feel like she was imposing. And if Bloom talked her into doing the dishes one more time she was going to have to cash in her tomcolt card and she was too cool for that. It may have been the frilly apron that the filly insisted that she wore. Dash checked in on AJ one more time and then headed for home. Mac waved good bye and then went inside to find Caramel drinking tea with Granny. The stallion was wearing a gaudy orange sweater that made his eyes want to bleed and a matching Cossack. Mel had the strangest taste in colors. "How are you, Mel?" asked Mac as he took a seat. "Macky!" shrilled Mel as he leaned over and nuzzled his friends cheek, a nuzzle that Mac happily returned. "I'm doing alright, I guess. Just finished up my shift at Quills and Sofas today," he said before sipping at his tea. "Not enough work at the shop?" "Na, not yet. Should pick up around February with all the farmers bring in their plows to sharpen and to fix broken stuff, heck with the way the Harvest family goes through hoes I might be able to survive on them alone," Mel said with a smirk. Mac chuckled. It was a sad fact that Carrot Top who previously dated stallions with mixed and usually gossip inducing results had decided that she preferred mares and had since been driving her families good name into the pigsty with a parade of mares from all over. Sadly it had to end, much to the dismay of all the stallions who enjoyed watching two mares kiss. "You too ought to leave her alone. She's been ragged enough 'bout it by her own folks and she doesn't need no Apple's dragging her through mud too," snapped Granny as she eyed the stallions. "Sorry Granny," "Sorry Mrs. Smith." "Good," snorted Granny, "Now which one of ye want to peel potatoes and which one of ye want to prepare a salad." "Mel should do the salad, seeing as he likes his tossed," smirked Mac shortly thereafter ducking a punch from Mel. "What's that supposed to mean?" asked Granny. "Nothing," the stallions replied in unison. *** Looking at her clock it was a little after four and the thought of Scoots using less than civil language was getting to her. More than that was the fact that she was only doing it to sound like her hero. Dash decided that she would censor herself a little more, she wanted to be cool and teaching fillies and colts bad words wasn't cool. Traipsing past her dresser she spotted a little mane clip, a carbon copy of her cutie mark. It was a gift from her late mother. She never wore it out and about, usually keeping it hidden within the confines of her private abode. She would wear it sometimes when she was alone, but today was different. Today she felt like being more mareish, and that was unnerving. Pulling her mane back into a ponytail, she clipped it in and walked to the mirror. Her high cheeks stood out more prominently along with her dainty chin. And she could actually see her eyes, twin balls of magenta hued flames rolling in passion and... "I look..." "Forget it," she yelled before pulling the clip out and tossed it on her bed. She left her house at a gallop and headed for Scoot's place. Below her, Ponyville stretched out. She spotted the library, the boutique, and town hall. Passing them by, she made a bee line for the little house a few blocks away from Bon Bon's sweet shop and landed outside an off white house with brown shutters. "Knock! Knock! Knock!" Dash's ears swiveled forward as she heard somepony bumbling around inside. She heard something that sound like pony shushing another and then, "stay quite, maybe who ever it is will go away." Dash knocked again. The door creaked open and a light orange head with a really bad case of bed mane stuck her head out, "What do you want Dash?" she snapped. Her nose scrunched up in disgust. Candy smelt like... adult fun and that ticked Dash off a little. Where was Scoots? Was she hearing her and who ever she was doing going at it. Surely that would be worse than her picking up bad words from Dash. What if Scoots would try to do the kind of thing her mother does with a colt her own age. She's too young for that. "What the hay, Candy! You're not moaning loud enough for Scoots to hear are you!," spat Dash as she poked the mare in the chest. "Scoots?' said Candy rhetorically. A vane popped out on Dash's head and her tail flicked out behind her. "Oh, shoot!" she added a moment later. "What is it honey bunches?" asked a gristly voice from within. A gray stallions head poked out giving his lover a concerned look all the while offering Dash a nervous smile. His short mane was also out of sorts and his muzzle had a slight sheen to it. The smell only became worse and Dash had to really concentrate not to gag. Her wings had other ideas as the twitched slightly at her sides. "I forgot I told Scoots I would pick her up after school and take her to the skate park," Candy said lowly. "How do you forget your kid!" yelled Dash. Dash was unaware of the little show she was putting on. Ponies were starting to gather to see what was going on, no doubt to have something juicy to gossip about in the days to come. "I—" "I can't believe you," spat the stallion as he pushed past her his tail popping against her nose on his way out. Dash turned on him, how dare him touch a mare like that. "You told me that she was going home with that unicorn filly, something Belle," he said with wide eyes, "Did you lie to me just so we could have some alone time?" "I... uh..." The stallion's rep was improved by those words alone in Dash's mind. "Tell me!" he roared as he pressed his muzzle against Candies. "Okay, I lied," she admitted before shrinking back inside. "I can't believe you, Candy!" he said as he pushed past her and disappeared up the stairs. Candy pawed at the floor and then gave Dash a sheepish grin. "Don't look at me for support," Dash said flatly. The stallion returned with a suit case in tow, "I'll be at the hotel if you need me for anything, but its best that you don't need me." "Stride, please let me—" "Shut up, Candy," he turned towards Dash, "Let's find Scootaloo, miss." Dash raised an eyebrow, "Don't you want to clean up a little after..." she blushed. The stallions face lit up red, "Uh... yes how about I meet you in the town square in thirty minutes?" Dash rolled her eyes, "I'll have her found by then, but thanks for the offer." And just like that Dash took to the skies.