//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: For The One You Love // by bahatumay //------------------------------// Rainbow walked into the library and called, “Hey, Twilight! You in here?” Twilight poked her head up from her lawbook and stood. “Yes, I’m here. Aren’t you going to Fluttershy's event?” Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, she could use the support, and I owe her that much. I’m just picking up a book quick before I go.” She waggled her eyebrows. “You know which one I want.” Twilight frowned even as she retrieved the book. “I’d think you’d want to pay attention at such a special event.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “Special, shmeshial. It’s full of formalities, long speeches and longer introductions, they go on about pegasi strength and power and how we’re the greatest of the three races—all with politically correct terms, of course—and then they give her away and then I'll be back soon because I don't think anypony is going to dispute.” Twilight nearly dropped her book. “Say what?” “Dispute? You know, challenge what's his bucket for Fluttershy? Winner flies away with a bride, loser spends the night alone.” Twilight did drop the book this time. "Rainbow Dash!" she yelled. "You knew there was a chance to fight for her and you didn't let us know?" “I didn't think it mattered. Did you want to fight for her? 'Cause if you did, that's cool, you know?” Rainbow said, her eyes flicking from side to side. “I mean, it's totally not weird that my friends want to bang each other and I didn't know. Nope. Not weird at all.” “Not me!” Twilight protested, cheeks flushing at the implications. “Big Mac's been in love with her since… forever!” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. "Huh. Really? I had no idea." She paused, thinking back on the week. "Actually, you know what? That explains a lot..." “Come on! We have to get to Sweet Apple Acres!" Big Mac kicked the tree again, trying very hard to focus on the task at hand. He tried not to think about any pegasi, and certainly not yellow ones with a short pink mane and tail that were going up to Cloudsdale to be married. And he certainly wasn't thinking of what would happen afterwards. Oh, no. Definitely not thinking of her gentle smile, of her large aquamarine eyes, of her beautiful wings she so shyly spread for him, of the tiny nod of permission she would give and the joyous squeaks that would come as his hooves explored her body, or of that one time he walked in on her dancing and she squeaked with embarrassment and covered herself with her tail, or the fact that she was about to get mounted by a stallion that didn't really care about her… His not-thoughts were interrupted by his sister’s voice. “Big Mac! Big Mac!” Apple Bloom called frantically. For the briefest of moments, he was tempted to hide, ignore her and whatever she had planned for the day; but that plan quickly evaporated. She was his sister. Even if his world had come crashing down, that didn’t mean he could just brush her off like that. He called out. “Here!” Apple Bloom sprinted over, coming into view, gasping for breath. Whatever she had to say, it was obviously important, and Big Mac shoved his own problems aside for his sister. “What happened?” Big Mac demanded. “Twi-” Apple Bloom gasped for air. “Twilight says she-” She coughed. “She found somethin’ important!” Big Mac raised an eyebrow. “It’s about Fluttershy!” Apple Bloom managed to gasp. “You c’n fight fer her! Twilight’s at the barn! Go!” Big Mac’s eyes widened, and he turned and thundered towards the barn, a tiny spark of hope lighting in his chest. Apple Bloom collapsed on the ground, trying to catch her breath. When she had, she turned and examined her flank, which sadly was still bare. “Cutie Mark Crusader Important Message Deliverer is a no-go,” she said. But for some reason, she didn’t mind. Especially after she had seen Big Mac’s grateful expression. “You can dispute the wedding?” Mac asked, eyes wide. Twilight nodded, still somewhat out of breath from her full-out sprint to the Acres. There was a reason it was not encouraged in the Runner's Guide to All Things Running. “Yes. You can challenge Skyblaze to a fight and if you win, Fluttershy is legally yours under the system and Skyblaze can't do anything about it.” “Then what're we waitin' for?” Mac asked, that spark of hope now a fire in his chest. "I'll go get my balloon,” Twilight said, “and you can…” “No time!” Rainbow shook her head. “Just cast the cloudwalking spell! I can carry him there!” “But...” “Do it!” Twilight frowned, but lit her horn and cast the spell. As soon as Mac had stopped glowing, Rainbow picked him up and began flying towards Cloudsdale. Twilight sighed as she watched the two depart. Spike snorted. "She won't make it, will she?" "Nope. I give her three minutes tops before her stamina is depleted," Twilight said wryly. Spike sighed and braced himself. With a bright flash of light, Twilight teleported the two back to the library. "I'll get the fire started." "I'll refill the sandbags.” A minute and a half later, the balloon was ready; and not even a minute after that, a very winded pegasus dropped a large earth pony on the ground, much to his displeasure. “Twilight!” Rainbow said brightly with an innocent smile on her face even as sweat trailed down her cheeks. “Fancy meeting you here! Hey, can we borrow your balloon?”