//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: For The One You Love // by bahatumay //------------------------------// “Skyblaze! Y- you found me,” Fluttershy said, shocked. “I always do,” Skyblaze smirked. “You know I like to keep a close tab on my things.” Fluttershy whimpered the tiniest of whimpers. He stepped inside without waiting to be invited in. “But what about you?” he asked. “How have you been?” Fluttershy let out what amounted to a tiny 'eep!' and dropped to the floor, burying her face in her forelegs. “That good?” he asked, completely unmoved by her actions. “That's good to hear. How about your other endeavors?” Fluttershy whispered something that was so muffled by her hooves that it was rendered incomprehensible. “And how's the wing-strengthening going?” Fluttershy flinched and shifted uncomfortably. “Come on. Let’s see ‘em.” Fluttershy blushed furiously and buried her head deeper into her hooves, shaking her head no. “Warbringer...” He had used her given name; she knew she had to comply. Slowly, with her face still buried and her cheeks burning brightly, she extended both of her wings, presenting herself before him. He stretched out a hoof and stroked one gently upwards, eliciting a slight squeak from Fluttershy. “Oh, yes,” he purred. “You were definitely the right choice.” Mac walked up to Fluttershy's house, nervously scratching at his saddlebags. It had taken a few days to work up the courage for this, and even now he wasn't sure he could follow through. But he had come this far, and was not about to turn back now. Besides, it was her birthday. This would be the greatest of presents. He reached up a hoof. Maybe he could turn back now. He shook his head, gritted his teeth, and knocked on the door. But to his shock, it was not Fluttershy or Angel that answered the door. The male pegasus that opened the door raised an eyebrow. “Can I help you?” Mac found himself at a loss for words. Finally, he said the first thing that came to mind. “Is Fluttershy there?” The eyebrow raised higher. “You know my fiancée?” Mac felt his stomach drop. “Fiancée?” he whispered. He looked past him, and caught sight of Fluttershy. His eyes widened as he realized that she had gotten a manecut. No longer long and flowing, her mane was short and jagged, and her tail had been similarly docked, as if she were going to work or fight and needed it out of the way. Fluttershy nodded ever so slightly, confirming her relationship. Mac wanted to confront her right then and there. He wanted to ask her if, during all that time they had spent together, she was thinking of this pegasus instead. He wanted to ask her if, when she nuzzled him and looked up and met his eyes, was she looking for blue instead of green? When she called out his name in the night with that sweet, quiet, tender voice of hers, was she secretly wishing she was calling out somepony else’s? Did she want wings wrapped around her, wings that he simply didn’t have? He wanted to ask her. Bring up words and memories she would be unable to hide from. Dredge up all those times together, make her face them and answer for them. But love makes many ponies do strange things, and Big Mac was no exception. “Handycolt from th’ farm Sweet Apple Acres,” he said quietly, by way of introduction. “Fixed up her chicken coop last week and wanted t’ make sure everything was still workin’ right.” “Oh, that’s nice,” the stallion said disparagingly. It was obvious that he considered Big Mac to be beneath him, something that the earth pony did not care for at all. Fluttershy, with her great experience, could see the tiny change in his left eye that indicated his anger. But to a casual observer, he showed no other physical response except to chew on the stalk of wheat and reply, “Eeyup. Anythin’ Ah say, Ah guarantee.” “Well, go check on that guarantee. Fluttershy and I have some big plans for tonight, so don't stay too long.” Mac nodded, then headed out to the yard, ignoring the scattering chickens and other animals as he headed towards the chicken coop, then continued walking, jumping the second fence and continuing into the forest. There was silence for a time, and then a loud crash reverberated throughout the forest, almost as if a heartbroken pony had knocked over a huge tree in rage, frustration, and pain. Mac kicked furiously, sending shudders through the tree and dropping leaves and apples with reckless abandon. Applejack had taken one look at him and then had given him a wide berth. Speaking of reckless abandon, three small fillies came tearing through the orchard, laughing and giggling as the orange pegasus pulled her friends in a wagon. All three slowed to a stop at the sight of Mac. It would have been wise to leave him alone, but the cutie mark crusaders aren't exactly known for their wisdom. “Are you ok?” Sweetie Belle asked. “‘Course Ah’m ok,” Big Mac said, not stopping the rhythm of his bucking. “Why wouldn’t Ah be?” Sweetie Belle turned to her friends. “He’s not ok, is he?” she asked quietly, already knowing the answer. “Nope,” Apple Bloom said simply. “He only talks this much when he’s mad.” “Ah ain’t mad,” Big Mac maintained, still not stopping. “A little frustrated, a bit betrayed, perhaps heartbroken, and completely and totally crushed, but Ah ain’t mad.” “Told you,” Apple Bloom whispered. Big Mac turned and glared. “Don’t y’all have someplace else t’ be?” “Not really,” Scootaloo confessed. "Our last plan kind of crashed and burned." She slouched dejectedly over the handlebar of her scooter. "Thankfully, more of the first part than the last, though." “And ya’d run th’ risk of gettin’ cutie marks in watchin’ stallions sweat?” Sweetie Belle cocked her head in confusion. “But Rarity said...” But Big Mac would never know what Rarity said, because Scootaloo, once she shook off the shock of earning such a mark and how horrifyingly gross her life would then be, took off with her tiny wings buzzing furiously, sending her two passengers rolling in the back of her wagon. Mac continued working long into the night. The spa twins smiled welcomingly as the two pegasi walked in. “Welcome!” they chirped. “This is what passes for a spa here?” Skyblaze said derisively. Aloe and Lotus hesitated ever so slightly, but their smiles didn’t waver. At least, until they saw Fluttershy’s new mane style. They gasped in unison and darted over to her side and shook their hooves in distress. “Oh no, miss Fluttershy,” Lotus mourned, running a hoof through her short locks. “Your mane, it is… gone!” “It was beautiful,” Aloe agreed. “It was long and in the way,” Skyblaze snorted. “True warriors keep it short.” As one, both spa ponies turned and cocked their heads. “As if ponies like you could understand.” Skyblaze rolled his eyes. “How about you take your groundpounding selves and ridiculous accents out and let us have some peace, eh?” Neither Aloe nor Lotus made any sudden reactions to this, but a cold chill passed through the room. It was as if the temperature had suddenly dropped fifteen degrees. “Very well,” Aloe said in a very clipped voice. “I believe that can be arranged.” Fluttershy hid her face behind her hooves as the two spa ponies, who had previously been good friends of hers, strutted out of the room without even looking back. “Ugh,” Skyblaze grumbled. “Mud ponies are good for growing food and that’s it.” “I’m friends with a few m- earth ponies, and…” “No, you’re not. Not anymore.” Fluttershy slowly shut her mouth, deciding that it was not worth it to explain that Aloe was actually a very talented preener. The two pegasi walked through the town. Though an afternoon at the spa usually helped Fluttershy relax, this time she left even more stressed. Add to that the fact that Skyblaze had cancelled all her future appointments, and that equalled one distressed Fluttershy. As if drawn to this sense of stress, Pinkie Pie appeared. “Hiya, Fluttershy!” she said brightly. “Are you here for package two of two? I bet you could use a little somethin' something; you're looking a little down in the wings, there.” She demonstrated by grabbing Fluttershy's wings and holding them up. Skyblaze slapped her hooves away. “Don't touch her wings,” he snarled. “Those are mine.” Pinkie Pie paused. “Well, somepony is a little bit of a grumpypants today.” Skyblaze shut her down and pushed her offered package away. “Ponies of our breeding don't associate with mud ponies.” Pinkie's smile faded, and her mane seemed to deflate slightly. It had been a long time since she had heard that epithet, and even longer since she had heard somepony say it like they meant it. “Fluttershy?” she asked, quietly asking for clarification. Fluttershy bowed her head and looked away. Pinkie Pie could only watch in confusion as the two pegasi walked away. Fluttershy only lasted about thirty seconds before she spoke up. “That wasn't very nice.” “Maybe not, but it was necessary.” “No, it wasn't. You're kindof ruining my friendships, so do you think you could, maybe…?” “You don't need friends,” Skyblaze cut her off. “Not like those, anyway. We'll take you back to Cloudsdale so you can be with real warrior ponies. I won't have you sullying our foals with earth pony traditions.” Fluttershy bit her lower lip, squeezed her eyes closed, and followed him. As she walked, a single tear slid down her face.