//------------------------------// // 60. Brohoof Brodown - Part 3 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// The rest of the day had been great. Big Macintosh had wrangled the kids into helping him with some chores but made them all fun. He’d gotten them to race a haybale across a finish line in teams of two: Button Mash and Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Rumble, and Twinken and Apple Bloom. Twinken and Apple Bloom won. He’d challenged these teams in another chore by having them collect as many bruised apples as they could, one teammate holding basket, the other grabbing the pocked produce and throwing them to the baskets. Scootaloo and Rumble won. Finally, Big Mac had let out three lambs and challenged which team could corral theirs first. Button Mash and Sweetie Belle won that by some miracle. As night began to settle, he’d then rounded them all up for a little campfire and marshmallow-roasting. “So Button, didja have a good time t’day?” “Uh-huh! I had so much fun,” Button cheered as he blew out the flame his marshmallow had caught on. “I’m sorry if I was a little gloom n’ doom for a while, everypony.” “No big, Button,” Twinken waved it off. “We’re just glad you’re feeling better.” “Me too,” Sweetie Belle added with a slight blush. “It was so cool how we got our lamb corralled before everypony else!” “Well, Rumble and I caught the most bruised apples!” Scootaloo brought up, Rumble chuckling sheepishly of Scootlaloo’s competitive outburst. “Well we left all you slowpokes in th’ dirt with th’ haybale race!” Apple Bloom reminded her. “Now, now y’all,” Big Mac spoke up, “point is y’all had fun and Button ain’t so mopey no more.” “And perhaps!” They all jolted as Midnight suddenly made himself known as he stepped into the light of the campfire. “The fun can continue tomorrow, at this!” He levitated up the flyer for the Brohoof Brodown, and explained, “Button, perhaps, if you’re ok with it, you can spend the day with me or Big Mac at the Brodown!” Button took the flyer and looked it over. It certainly looked fun, and cool, and it would be awesome to partake in. He only wished his own brother would do it with him. But he didn’t want to go back to being bleak and blue. “Ok, but… Big Mac, would you be my big brother at the Brohoof Brodown?” “Sure thing… lil’ brother,” Big Mac chuckled as he ruffled Button’s mane, making him laugh. “Now, why don’t th’ rest a ya get ready t’ go home? Startin’ to get late.” “Ok, come on everypony!” Twinken called and they all ran back to the house, leaving the two stallions alone at the campfire. “So anything ya wanna tell me?” Big Mac asked. “I sure do,” Midnight nodded, “I have a plan, and I know just the pony to make it possible.” The next day, the Brohoof Brodown was well underway. Thunderlane, along with the help of some local stallions and few mares, all older siblings themselves, had set up the occasion in an open field just outside Ponyville. There were a few food-stands, some games set up, and even a hoof-wrassling tournament. Stallions and colts, along with a few mares and fillies, were going to and fro, enjoying themselves. Brothers got a discount for everything, even if they weren’t brothers by blood. Brothers were everywhere, competing in different games or events, winning prizes, ribbons, or trophies, all an’ all sharing a good time with each other. Midnight and Twinken walked away from the target-range where they had beaten the other teams in shooting down the most targets, the both of them bearing a ribbon on the matching red scarves they wore. They met up with Thunderlane, Rumble, Big Mac, and Button in the center of the festivities, Thunderlane and Rumble wearing matching gold sweatbands, Big Mac and Button wearing blue baseball caps. “This is so awesome, Thunderlane!” Twinken and Button both gushed. “Wherever did you get an idea for something like this?” Midnight chuckled. “Well, the town has something called the Sisterhooves Social,” Thunderlane explained, “and I thought there should be something like that for brothers! So, I went to the mayor, pitched her my idea, and she gave me permission to throw this all together! I just asked some of my pals for help and here we are.” “Well, I’m glad you did,” Midnight smiled as he looked around, “because this has to be one of the coolest events I’ve ever been a part of, eh Mac?” “Eeyup,” Big Mac looked pretty darn proud of the hoof-wrassling championship trophy he had with him. “Well, I’m glad you guys are all enjoying yourselves because it’s almost time for the main event!” Thunderlane brought up. “Head out to the track and wait a few minutes, ok?” Thunderlane lowered his backside, Rumble hopping on, and Thunderlane flew off. Button looked to the guys, asking, “Whattya think Thunderlane meant by ‘the main event’?” “I suspect we’ll find out at that track,” Midnight replied with a smirk. “Button, why don’cha and Twinken run ahead?” suggested Big Mac, “Midnight an' Ah gotta speak with somepony real quick.” “Okay, come on Button!” Twinken said and they scampered off. They made their way to the track set up outside the Brohoof Brodown and could tell instantly the main event was a race, the track set up as an obstacle course. Nearby was a platform where Thunderlane and Rumble stood, the former speaking into a megaphone. “Welcome brothers of Ponyville! Hope you’ve all had a blast, but the Brodown is not over yet! Hope all of you haven’t eaten or drank in the last half-hour cuz’ it’s time for the main event, the Brohoof Brodown Obstacle Race! Whichever team of brothers can weave through all the obstacles and cross the finish line first will win the first annual Brohoof Brodown Championship Race Ribbon! All brothers competing should take their places at the starting line, the race will begin in just a few minutes!” “This is so cool!” Button exclaimed as he and Twinken gazed upon the obstacle course. They saw a couple ramps, walls, one with ropes to climb over it, a wire-net one obviously had to crawl under, a wall with doors and small openings, and more. “I hope you’re ready to race, Twinken, cuz' Mac and I-” “Oh me and Midnight aren’t racing,” Twinken interrupted. “Midnight volunteered to help Thunderlane oversee the race. Look over at the starting line.” Button looked, seeing several pairs of big brothers and little brothers already standing at the starting line, looking rarin’ to go, as Midnight passed out numbers to each team, and confirming which team included who, apparently writing it down on a list. “Hey Button!” They turned around to see Big Mac coming up, “Ya ready?” “Let’s win this!” Button cheered, Twinken saying, “Good luck!” As all the brother-teams got ready, Thunderlane showed up with a small cloud and stood on it, holding his megaphone. “All right, brothers! On your mark!” They stood at the starting line, narrowing their eyes. “Get set…!” Some pawed at the ground with their hooves, snorting with anticipation. Thunderlane jumped once on the cloud, making it crack lightning, and they were off! The teams first obstacle was a bunch of tunnels, about three of them. At first, the race became about getting through one of the tunnels first. Big Mac threw Button onto his back and dove, sliding straight through the middle tunnel, and they were instantly in the lead. Then they had to step into set-up fruit baskets without tripping over. Then they got to the wall where the older brothers had to carry their little brothers on their backs and climb the ropes provided. This time around, Big Mac and Button started falling behind, the other teams catching up. The bottom of the other side of the wall was a large pile of hay, the teams having to take turns in falling in and continuing. Then they got to the wall with doors and small openings, each numbered so each team knew which one to go to. Button and Big Mac got to door nine, and saw it was locked. Then they noticed one of the little brothers, Lickety-Split crawl through the opening next to his big brother’s door, and he apparently unlocked it for him. Button and Mac nodded and Button did just that so they could continue. Then the next part was like reliving yesterday at the farm for Button. The teams had to push large haybales across a line before they could continue on, the next event the little brothers had to catch the apples their big brothers threw at them with the baskets provided. Then they got to a flock of sheep, each marked with a number and saw a nearby corral, and they knew they had to get their own sheep in. Working together, Button and Mac corralled the number nine sheep and moved on. Finally it was the home-stretch, and Big Mac and Button were neck & neck with the team of Noteworthy and Shady Daze. The last few obstacles were just a few fences to jump over. Both teams made it across and just as it got down to it with the last one, both teams jumped but Noteworthy had miscalculated in his timing. His rear hoof smacked against the fence, making him wince and fall flat on his face. While Shady Daze stopped to help his brother Big Mac and Button kept going but! Button noticed how Noteworthy and Shady Daze had stopped because of the former’s injury, and said, “Wait!” Big Mac grinded to a halt, just almost touching the finish line, and looked to Button, who had turned around and gone to check on Noteworthy and Shady Daze. “Are you guys okay?” “Yeah, but…” Shady Daze was confused. “Why didn’t you and Mac cross the finish line? The race is still on, and the others are getting closer!” Mac approached and said, “Mah lil’ brother an’ Ah would rather race square than win unfair.” He helped Noteworthy up and put his arm around his neck, the colts following, and they made it just in time for the two teams to tie, everypony cheering while Thunderlane announced, “We have our winners!” Both teams were invited onto the platform where Rumble came up to them, holding a cushion with two ribbons on it, Thunderlane alighting himself down as he said, “Sorry, I didn’t expect a tie, so I made two ribbons for both brothers of the winning team.” “I think each team deserves a ribbon,” Button proposed, and everypony cheered at his words, Thunderlane proudly giving one to him and the other to Noteworthy. “And so we end the first Annual Brohoof Brodown in a truly memorable way!” he declared. “Let’s all give a big hoof to our winning teams, and kudos to the others for effort!” But at that moment, Midnight appeared in a flash onto the platform, saying, “But! …Let the records show our winners as they really are!” “What’re you talking about, Midnight?” Button asked, and Midnight chuckled as he pointed to the front of the crowd. Button followed his hoof and gasped! Right in front of the platform was Big Macintosh, but he looked and saw Mac still standing the platform with him! “What the-” “I can explain that with a simple counter-spell,” Midnight replied and his horn flared, as did the Big Mac next to Button Mash and he gasped as the light around him faded away to reveal… “Cheat Code?!” It was Button’s older brother, Cheat Code. His mane was the same brown as Button's coat while his own was the same color as their mother’s mane, and he had their mom’s eye color as well. His cutie-mark was the infamous Coltami cheat. “Hey little brother,” he said with a smile but also looked guilty. “What’s going on here?!” Button spazzed a little. “Ask Midnight,” Cheat Code replied, Button looking to the blue unicorn. “Well, it went like this,” Midnight explained as he recalled. As soon as the two colts were out of hearing range, Midnight and Mac looked towards a tent, the former saying, “You can come out now.” Cheat Code stepped out of the tent, looking nervous. “I wished I coulda spoken to him right now.” “Trust me, Cheat Code,” Midnight assured him, “this will be the best surprise you give him and will be an awesome way to apologize.” “I still can’t believe you got the princess to give me two weeks off!” Cheat Code brought up. “Well, it helps when you’re one of the Ponies who represent Harmony, eh Big Mac?” “Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed. “Now, for this work it has to be you who says the spell but I’ll be the one providing the magic,” Midnight explained. “All you have to do is recite the spell while looking at big Mac. It’s a good thing you two are similar in physical build, it’ll help sell the illusion so much better.” “Right, let’s do this,” Cheat Code said as he focused on Big Mac and Midnight’s horn lit up to wait for the spell. Although Cheat Code was the one saying the spell, Midnight was providing the magic. Basically, he was a firecracker and Cheat Code saying the spell was lighting the fuse. “The one I see before my eyes, I take this form as my new guise Let those who gaze upon me see, this someone else who isn’t me” “…and that’s what happened,” Midnight wrapped up, “After the spell was cast, Cheat Code had been glamoured to look like Big Mac and joined you at the starting line.” “So… we did the whole race together?” Button realized. “We sure did, little brother,” Cheat Code replied. “And I’m so sorry for canceling on you and Mom. If I’d known Dad had cancelled as well, I would’ve fought tooth and hoof to get time off to come see you.” Button was a little confused at first but then a big smile stretched across his face, and he leapt up, wrapping his hooves around Cheat Code’s neck. “I don’t care, just as long as you’re here, I don’t care!” The whole crowd aww’d at the brotherly love, brothers bro-hoofing with each other, the big brothers giving their little brothers mane-noogies, and everypony laughed, when Midnight called out, “Come on, everypony! Celebration at Pepper Pony’s!” Everypony cheered and galloped off. Pepper Pony’s got quite a lot of business that day, but the friends got their pizzas and sodas to go, and convened at a picnic table in the park. As they ate, Midnight had an idea. “Hey Button, why don’t you and Cheat Code write a letter to Princess Celestia about what you learned today!” “That’d be so cool, can we Cheat Code?” Button looked up excitably at his brother. “Sounds good to me,” Cheat Code agreed, Button rearing up yelling, “Yay!” Midnight conjured a scroll and quill, saying, “Ready?” “I’ll start,” Button insisted. “Dear Princess Celestia, Today I learned that having a brother can be one of the most coolest things in the world but it’s not always easy.” “Yeah, it can be great,” Cheat Code spoke up. “But there are times when brothers can be torn apart by their differences, their own desires and dreams, and their circumstances in life. But so long as you make time with your brother and come together for a common goal, you’ll come out with your brotherhood stronger than ever!” “Perfect,” Midnight said as he signed the letter from the two and his horn sparked green, a spell causing the letter to go up in green flames, and the ashes whisk away in a shimmery haze. “How’d you do that?” Button asked. “The last time I spoke the princess, she gave me a spell that works similar to how Spike’s dragon breath sends her messages from Twilight Sparkle, Midnight explained as he levitated his soda. “I propose a toast!” Everypony raised their sodas as Midnight declared, “To brotherhood!” “To brotherhood!” They all took deep swigs before they engaged each other in a belching contest. Big Mac won, and everypony laughed, mutually agreeing it to be the perfect way to conclude such an awesome day.