//------------------------------// // 35. Green isn't Your Color - Part 1 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// “Hoo-whee!” Big Mac phewed, another day of hard work well done as he and Midnight set the last haybale in its place in the barn. “Ain’t nuthin’ like some good ol’ back-breakin’ labor t’ help you feel truly alive!” “Yeah…” Midnight groaned as he pressed his hooves against his back and got rid of a crick. “Though I think I’m lucky to still be alive after all that.” “Y’know, haystack, Ah’d say we’ve earned ourselves a lil’ R & R,” Big Mac commented as they walked out the barn. “An’ Ah was thinkin’ perhaps we could try tha’ spa Miss Rarity mentioned last week.” “Hmm, seems a little frou-frou, that place,” considered Midnight but the ache in his back made up his mind. “Although! …Perhaps a trip to the masseuse is in order.” “Heh, an’ Ah got plenty a’ bits to get us th’ royal treatment!” Big Mac laughed and led the way. Arriving at the spa, Big Mac and Midnight were surprised to see, “Fluttershy?” She sat in the waiting room, reading a magazine and noticed them as they came up. “What’re you doing here?” Midnight asked, Big Mac shyly keeping in the background. “Oh, I’m here for my weekly get-together with Rarity,” Fluttershy explained, “We like to come to the spa every week for an afternoon of relaxation, as well as to catch up and just talk.” “Well that sounds nice,” Midnight commented as he pulled Big Mac up, the big red farmer looking a tad redder in the face. “Mac here is treating me to some R & R after all the hard work we did today.” “Well, that’s very nice of you, Big Macintosh,” Fluttershy smiled up at him. “E-eyup!” muttered a nervous Big Mac. Suddenly, the door opened and in hurried Rarity, wearing a stylish hat, no doubt of her own design, complemented with peacock feathers, as she said, “So sorry, Fluttershy, I didn’t mean to be tardy for our weekly get-together. Oh, Midnight, Big Macintosh, are you two here for some relaxation as well?” “After a whole morning of back-breaking labor?” replied Midnight with a laugh. “Well then you’re both welcome to join us,” Rarity offered as she said to the receptionist, “The usual!” They got started with a sauna, the steam provided by the spa ponies pouring water onto hot rocks. They all wore bathrobes as Rarity got to talking, “None of you will believe what happened to me!” “Is everything alright?” Fluttershy asked. “Oh it’s much more than alright, dears,” Rarity calmed her. “On my way here, while wearing my latest hat creation, I was stopped by none other than Photo Finish!” “Photo Finish?” Midnight asked. “Who’s that?” The spa ponies moved them all where the mares got facials and the stallions got their manes washed and trimmed a little. “Why she’s only the most famous fashion photographer in all of Equestria, ol’ chap,” Rarity explained, a spa pony placing cucumber slices over her eyes. “Anyhoo, she saw my hat and thought it was absolutely marvelous!” “Well tha’ was just dandy of her t’ compliment ya like that, Miss Rarity,” Big Mac commented. They were moved on where Rarity (and Midnight, much to his chagrin) got horn-icures, Rarity going on. “She was so impressed that she wants to take some pictures of my shop featuring some of my clothes!” “That’s wonderful,” Fluttershy praised. Then they were all getting back-massages, which Midnight so enjoyed he decided to let the horn-icure go. “This sounds like a real opportunity for your career, Rarity,” he sighed, feeling the masseuse work her magic hooves onto his achy-back. Once the massage was done, Rarity got a full-body seaweed wrap and had a mudbath with Fluttershy while the guys moved onto the Jacuzzi. As they melted into the steaming, water, Midnight noticed Big Mac sneaking looks towards the mares as they continued to talk. He then recalled how Big Mac acted earlier when they ran into Fluttershy at the waiting room, and it dawned on him. “Fluttershy’s quite lovely, isn’t she?” he mentioned in a casual tone. “Eeyup…” Big Mac sighed with dreamy look in his eyes, and Midnight counted to four before Mac realized what he just said. “Uh! Ah mean- Tha’ is- Miss Fluttershy’s certainly an attractive pony an’ all-” “Oh Mac, stop your fussing,” Midnight smiled warmly. “I think it’s nice if you have an attraction to Fluttershy.” “Well… Ah gotta admit, it’s… more than just an attraction,” Big Mac admitted. “Lately, Ah’ve been findin’ mahself thinkin’ o’ her more.” “When’d this start?” Midnight asked, leaning in. “Maybe a couple weeks,” Big Mad said. “Ah remember jus’ last week I was deliverin’ a hay-bale t’ her cottage, said she needed it fer some a’ her critters’ bedding. Ah brought it t’ her when she noticed one a’ her critters actin’ up and she hurried t’ deal with th’ rascal an’ almost tripped on th’ bale. Ah caught her so she wouldn’t fall, an’ the smile she gave me when she said thank you…!” Big Mac sighed dreamily and Midnight smiled. “Well, Mac, if you want one stallion’s opinion, I think you and Fluttershy would be good for each other.” “How so?” “Well, she’s so shy and timid all the time, especially when meeting new ponies,” Midnight explained, “But you’re what I’d call a ‘gentle giant’. You’re big and strong but your kind and gentle, and you mostly let your actions speak for themselves. You’re a hard-worker, a good provider for your family, and you’re a great brother to your sisters. Honestly, Mac, I can’t help but admire you and respect you, and, I hope this doesn’t make you uncomfortable but… I kinda think of you as the big brother I never had.” “Well, haystack, t’ be honest, Ah kinda think o’ you as the brother Ah never had,” Big Mac replied with a smile. Though not in blood, the two ponies affirmed they were brothers in heart as they gave each other a hoof-bump when they heard Rarity squealing “Please, please, please!!” They looked to see Rarity, giving a pleading look with a quivering lower lip to Fluttershy. The pegasus mare sighed, “If it’s that important to you, of course I’ll do it.” “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Rarity gushed, “You’re the best friend a pony could ever have!” Soon all four ponies stepped out of the spa, feeling fresh as a bouquet of daisies, Fluttershy sighing in satisfaction. “What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.” “And to think I almost declined to come here,” Midnight laughed, “But this big lug convinced me in the end!” “Eeyup,” chuckled Big Mac but blushing a bit when Fluttershy laughed with him. “Uh, anypony up fer a slice at Pepper Pony’s?” “Oh I’m afraid this is where we part ways, ol’ chaps,” Rarity intervened, “Fluttershy agreed to model for me once Photo Finish arrives to critique my work.” “Well, alright, good luck, Rarity,” Midnight said as the two mares made off for the boutique. He then noticed the slightly disappointed look on Mac’s face. “Hey don’t sweat it, Mac, there’s always tomorrow. Come on, my treat.” After a delicious pizza-pie, the two were walking through the market when they ran into Twilight, Pinkie, and Spike. “Hey, boys!” Twilight greeted them, “You won’t believe it, but it appears Rarity was able to impress Photo Finish!” “That’s great, but then would you expect any less from our own resident fashionista?” Midnight chuckled. “Right now, Rarity and Fluttershy are attending a photo-shoot where Fluttershy’s gonna model more of Rarity’s clothes,” Spike said with a swoon, “and then all Equestria will know the beauty and talent that is… Rarity.” Midnight and Mac gave each other a smirk, as Midnight whispered, “Whoa, he’s got it bad!” “Heeyup.” “Isn’t it so exciting?!” Pinkie gushed before getting uncharacteristically dramatic, “The camera, poised for its next shot… Fluttershy, garbed in the latest brilliance that shines from Rarity’s creativity! Ooh! Just thinking about it gives me the willies!” “Why don’t we head over to the boutique in a little while and see Rarity?” Twilight suggested, “I’d love to hear how it went.” That’s exactly what they did an hour later. Entering the boutique, they went up to Rarity’s room, where she appeared to be sewing something black, Pinkie bouncing, “Howdit go, howdit go?!” “It didn’t,” Rarity deadpanned woefully as she took the black garb and threw it over her back and securing the neck-pieces. “Photo Finish wanted to work with Fluttershy, not me.” “What?!” Midnight could not believe it. “What kind of hack is she to not recognize your talent?!” “Midnight Blaze!” Rarity scolded, “Whatever we may feel, don’t forget Photo Finish is a… certified fashion critique…” “I’m so sorry, Rarity,” Twilight said gently, “Is there anything we can do?” Then Rarity pulled up a hood to hide her face, saying, "I just… want to be alone right now.” Seeing her so down in the dumps, they wanted to help but suddenly Spike got up in their faces. “You heard her!” Spike said as he held out his hands and herding them out, “She vants to be… alone.” But then the little lovestruck hypocrite swooned hearts as he turned to start skipping towards Rarity, only for Twilight to bite his tail and drag him out, closing Rarity’s bedroom door. They all gave him the stink-eye, Spike saying, “What?! I didn’t think she meant…alone-alone.” “But I can’t believe Photo Finish chose Fluttershy over Rarity,” Midnight brought up, but then noticed the look Mac was giving him, forcing him to save his tail. “Uh- That is, not that Fluttershy’s not model-material, she’s a fairly attractive pony. I just mean, how could Photo Finish not like Rarity’s designs?” Big Mac closed his eyes and nodded in agreement with a tone, “Eeyup.” The tone told Midnight he just barely pulled his tail out of the fire. “Well, even photographers are artists, Midnight,” Twilight reasoned, “Perhaps Fluttershy has something Photo Finish is looking for that she didn’t see in Rarity’s designs.” “Well, I can’t really see it going anywhere,” Midnight debated, “Fluttershy as a fashion model? I don’t think it's her dream career, all those flashing cameras, ponies gaping at her all day long?” “Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed wholeheartedly. “Miss Fluttershy ain’t tha’ kinda pony.” But over the next few days, the evidence that Fluttershy’s new modelling career was undeniable. She was in magazines, posters, she had a red carpet greeting at a theater, her face was on all the stands at the marketplace, pegasus ponies were pulling her image on banners across the sky. Exactly a week passed by since then, and Midnight was honestly finding Fluttershy’s image everywhere to be ridiculous. It felt wrong, like the image of his friend was losing what made it special by parading it all over all day long. He sighed and tried to ignore it all as he made his way to the library. “Twilight, I’m here for my next lesson!” “Oh, I’m sorry, Midnight.” Midnight noticed Twilight fidgeting while looking through a book but didn’t appear to be enjoying her read, and that told Midnight not all was right in the world. “Is something wrong, Twi?” “Like you couldn’t imagine,” Twilight responded with a sigh as she put the book back. “I just got back from the spa and Fluttershy missed her weekly get-together with Rarity.” “Ooh…” Midnight had a feeling of where this was headed. “And believe it or not, Rarity is actually jealous of Fluttershy!” “I’m not,” Midnight scoffed, “All that attention? Having your image plastered all over? And just yesterday, I saw some overzealous fans chase Fluttershy all over town! A life of fame n’ fortune? I'll take the fortune, you can keep the fame, thank you very much!” “Well, for reasons that defy even me, Rarity wants that kind of attention,” Twilight went on, “She made me promise not to tell Fluttershy how she feels, but you won’t believe what happened after she left.” “Lemme guess, the moment our favorite diva walked out, our unwilling model walked in.” “Mm-hmm, and you know what? Fluttershy hates being a model!” “Well what’s not to hate?!” Midnight agreed with an exasperated sigh and roll of his eyes. “She can’t take two steps through town without being mobbed or snapshot! But hey! You can tell Rarity how Fluttershy feels about the modeling career, and Rarity won’t be so jealous!” “That won’t work,” Twilight lamented, “Cause after she told me, Fluttershy made me promise not to tell Rarity!” “Oh for goddess' sake…!” Midnight now saw the situation. Twilight had the answers to the problem but was bound by two separate promises to keep them to herself. For some reason, that felt familiar but he shook it off. “So, why’re you telling me if you can’t tell them?” “I only promised not to tell each pony in question how the other feels,” Twilight amended, “but I didn’t promise not to tell anypony else! Thank goodness for that, Pinkie Pie’s been popping up everywhere making sure I don’t spill the beans!” “Urgh, that pony and her ridiculous pinkie-promises!” Miodnight growled, “How can she not see that by holding your silence it’s just letting the problem continue?” “Because when you give your word to somepony you’re given their trust to keep the promise you made to them,” Twilight explained, “and according to Pinkie, losing a friend’s trust is the fastest way to lose a friend-” “FOREVER!!!” They both yelped and saw Pinkie sticking out from between some books on a high shelf, giving Twilight that gesture that means ‘I got my eye on you, sunshine’ before she slid and vanished into the books. Midnight hurried over and pushed the books apart, gasping to see Pinkie was gone, with no explanation as to how she appeared there in the first place. “That pony will be the death of me, I’m sure of it…”