//------------------------------// // House Party // Story: Bigger Than Mac // by DraconequusMaximus //------------------------------// It had been three weeks since Spike and Mac had returned from Canterlot, and the apple bucking for the year had been finished. Spike had even been able to adapt the old family cider press for use with a crank, letting him press the apples while Mac checked for quality, taking over for Granny Smith. With all the hardest work of the year being finished, Spike and Macintosh had more free time. They had even managed to furnish their house by special ordering from a catalog from the griffon kingdom. Griffin males tended to be much larger than ponies, so the furniture was around the right size for Spike. Trixie and Twilight had had several dates, and all seemed to be well with the pair. Spike had questioned Trixie about Twilight's work, but while Trixie was a competent mage she was far from being a scientist. All she understood that was that Twilight was doing something with advanced alchemy, magical metallurgy, and thaumatic resonance. Spike knew Macintosh knew absolutely nothing about magic, and instantly dropped his suspicions about it. He had helped Twilight with experiments and knew that all those things were heavy stuff, no way an earth pony could help out with any of those, except maybe alchemy, but that was more of a zebra thing. Currently, Spike and Mac were at the local convenience store getting stuff for the party. Mac was the only one able to actually enter, but they opened the windows so Spike could look in and tell Mac what to get. Spike was paying from his hefty savings. He thought it was better to use it for friends than to hoard it. "Ooh, they've got those chips that taste like pickles! Get those, and some cheese dip." Spike said looking over the selection. "Eeyup" Mac said as he grabbed the items and put them into the basket he carried. "Oh, and cheesy poofs and those salty sweet potato chips Fluttershy loves so much, and a tub of bean dip." Spike said looking back to the other end of the isle. "Eeyup" Mac said somewhat annoyed as he backtracked. "Okay, well Pinkie says she'll handle the bigger stuff as long as we get the chips. Let's move on to the booze." Spike said eying the liquor isle. Mac sighed, he had learned that Spike had a heavy tolerance for alcohol. He could consume several times the amount a pony could and only become tipsy. The bartender at the restaurant in Canterlot had to pick his jaw up from the floor during their date. "So do ya just want t' get one of everythin' then?" Mac said jokingly, Spike however knitted his brow in thought. "Yeah, that sounds okay, but get a few of those goldschlager things. I really like those." Spike said completely missing the sarcasm. Mac placed the basket he had been carrying at the front of the store for the clerk to watch and retrieved a cart. It took him three trips to get everything, and the clerk was barely visible behind the numerous bottles on the counter and floor. Mac was glad there was somepony else to haul all of this back home. After Spike paid the stunned stallion at the checkout a hefty sum they were off, with Spike pulling the cartload of clanking bottles. They spent the next two hours getting the house ready, and setting up the new big screen television Spike had purchased. Television was relatively new to Equestria, as they were more magically advanced than technologically. But Spike had also purchased a VCR and a boatload of tapes from the griffon kingdom and the minotaur lands. Mac had tried to hook it up, but admitted defeat and left the task to Spike as the electronics had been built with creatures possessing hands in mind. It took around an hour to get everything set up, but the occasion was well worth the time spent. A little before sundown the guests arrived. all six elements of harmony, Trixie, the crusaders, Discord, and Luna. Celestia had wanted to come, but was tired after a long day of work. The crusaders had to Pinkie promise to stay out of the liquor, and nopony breaks a Pinkie promise. Spike told everypony to sit wherever they pleased, and that food was in the kitchen. Pinkie was somehow carrying an absurd number of trays of appetizers and the like as she entered. "Hey Spike! I know how much you like to eat, so I made oodles of goodies." Pinkie said as she trotted off to the kitchen. "You are amazing Pinkie." Spike said taking in the delicious aromas, "Ooo, do I smell jalapeno poppers?" "Of course." The party pony said happily from the kitchen. Spike smiled and walked back to the living room where the crusaders were talking with Trixie, sans the cloak and hat. They were asking her about her travels, and she seemed to be telling the honest truth without very much exaggeration. She caught Spike's eye and he gave her an approving nod as he passed. She smiled gratefully before returning her attention to the crusaders. Spike saw Macintosh chatting with Twilight and Luna about something seemingly serious. Luna and Twilight had serious expressions on their faces and Mac seemed neutral, only occasionally nodding his agreement in whatever they were discussing. Spike raised a brow at this and continued on toward them. He took a spot next to Mac on the enormous sofa. "What's everypony talking about?" Spike asked casually. "Twilight was just regaling us with tales of years past, like the time travel incident with the Canterlot archives." Luna said as her expression melted into a smile. "Yeah, that was quite an adventure. My stomach hurt for days after that one." Spike replied with a smile, using nostalgia to mask his suspicion. "Yes, and we were totally out of ice cream too." Twilight added with a similar smile. "Yeah. Gotta admit though, having my own place is great, but I do miss living with you Twi." Spike said sadly. He knew he would eventually outgrow his old home, he just hadn't expected it to happen overnight. "Yes, the library has been awful quiet lately. I was so used to having you around all the time." Twilight admitted. "Well, if you're lonely I know a great and powerful somepony that lives in a covered wagon and could probably use better living arrangements." Spike said looking over his shoulder at the blue mare currently showing the crusaders card tricks. Twilight blushed deeply, in truth she had thought about it, but it seemed too soon. After all three weeks wasn't a long time, but Twilight knew living in the covered wagon wasn't good for Trixie. "I'll talk to her about it, but it might be a little early." Twilight said without looking him directly in the eyes. "Good girl, now then we seem to be a draconequus short. I'd like to make sure he isn't destroying something." Spike said as he looked around the room. The remaining elements of harmony were on a the couch opposite them, and Discord couldn't be seen among them. However when Spike looked up he saw Discord sitting on a stool upside down on the ceiling. "Hello my boy, lovely abode. Much nicer than the homes of other dragons I've been to." He said cheerfully. "Thanks, mom's crew did a great job. Glad you could make it, figured it's not a party without the element of laughter and the god of chaos." Spike said with a big grin. "Right you are, I see you even got one of those fancy picture boxes. Tia wouldn't let us get one for the castle." Discord said in a huff. "Well, I thought it'd be cool. Anyway, Fluttershy's over there with Dash if you wanna talk to her. I'm gonna get the TV set up." Spike told the crazy deity before being on his way. Spike had to fiddle with the remote for about fifteen minutes before finding the appropriate channel for the VCR. He also made sure that everypony had food and beverages. All that was left to do was vote on what movie to watch first. "Okay everypony, to celebrate another years harvest, and Mac and I's new house feeling more like a home we're having a party slash movie night. Mac, the choices if you would." Spike said loud enough for the whole house to hear. "We got: It Came from Froggy Bottom Bog, My Ma the Vampony, Attack of the Smooze, Las Pegasus Bachelor Party, an' Sombra Lives Again." Mac listed off. The assembled ponies, dragon amd draconequus spoke amongst themselves for a few minutes. It seemed like a close vote. The top contenders were My Mom the Vampony, and Attack of the Smooze. The smooze won out, and Spike popped the tape in and dimmed the lights. Spike fast forwarded through the previews, until the featured presentation warning popped up. The opening included a griffon letting out a roar while surrounded by a fancy border, and the name of the company that made the film. The movie itself was so cheesy that it was hilarious, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Discord were all out of breath from laughing so hard during the movie. The group was moved on to watching Luna and Pinkie pound drinks at an astonishing speed, as they were trying to settle their match from Spike's birthday. Spike looked to his side to see Mac had left without him noticing. Something was up, and whatever it was they were planning it right under his nose. He decided to sneak off to try and find out what it was. Dragons, by nature are a predatory species. When need be they can be disturbingly silent for their size. Spike took advantage of this to go on the hunt for his missing stallion without alerting him and whoever was with him. After a quick look around he found there was a light on in the guestroom. He was careful not to pass in front of the door to alert them, instead he merely craned his neck to the door to listen in. "It turns out the gem isn't good enough for the project. But I think I have a new conduit, Celestia is going to send it to me soon, but through normal post. I think Spike is suspicious after the package incident." A voice easily recognizable as Twilight said. "Well, sorry. I haven't had to use a flame channel in eons." An annoyed voice Spike determined to be Discord replied. Spike was sure Discord was still watching the contest, but it was true that he had duplicated himself before. "Yer sure this thing'll work, an he'll be okay?" A voice Spike could easily identify as Macintosh asked in concern. "It's 99.99531% safe, as close to perfectly safe as possible. We just need the rest of the princesses, Discord, and any other powerful unicorns we can find to get it working." Twilight said trying to reassure the stallion. After that Twilight went into lecture mode and Spike tuned her out as he couldn't understand the majority of it. So, Macintosh is in on whatever it is and Discord is the one that sent Twi the package. What the hay are they making and what does it have to do with me? Spike thought to himself. He thought he heard movement coming from behind the door and silently slipped away. He rejoined the group who were tending to Pinkie Pie who had passed out. A very drunk, and very proud Luna lay on the sofa a few feet away. "You were a worthy opponent, but nopony has ever defeated me in a drinking contest." Luna said to the lamp on the end table nearest her. "Luna, that's a lamp. I think you've had too much to drink." Spike told the inebriated alicorn. "Shut up Rainbow Dash. I've been drinking for over three thousand years. I think I know my limits." Luna unknowingly told her nephew. "Right, well Spike says you can stay in the guest room because he doesn't want you flying." He replied trying to humor the drunken princess. "Ah, Spike's such a good kid. My sister is so lucky, I should adopt a dragon. Maybe a sea serpent? I shall name her muffin!" Luna said as she stumbled off to what she thought was the guest room, but was in actuality the broom closet. "Eh, deal with it later." Spike said as he went back to the others, it was still a party after all, and those poppers were calling his name.