Sol Do, Big Macintosh, Rarity, and Applejack set off for the gem-laden dirt plains outside of Ponyville after breakfast, the orange mare deciding to tag along to ‘help in case the diamond dogs showed up’, but it was clear to Sol Do that Applejack was still distrustful of her, a fact that made itself all the more clear along their walk.
Sol Do and Big Macintosh pulled the wagon they would use to gather their acquired gems, while Applejack and Rarity walked alongside their respective relatives. Every other second, Applejack would shoot Sol Do a suspicious glance, which the miner would politely ignore. Meanwhile, Sol Do would occasionally shoot a sultry smile to Big Macintosh, further infuriating Applejack. While Big Mac seemed more or less clueless to this silent activity, or at least didn’t react to it, Rarity resolved to talk with Applejack as soon as they reached their destination.
The sun indicated it was about mid-morning when the quartet crested a small hill which overlooked the rocky lands containing more gems than could be accounted for. No sign of the diamond dogs could be seen, which helped put Rarity somewhat at ease.
Sol Do inhaled deeply through her nostrils, then exhaled in content. “Nothin’ quite like the smell of dry dirt in the mornin’,” she said.
Rarity looked aside to her cousin, confused. “Pardon me, but how do you smell dry dirt?”
“Spend a few months diggin’ in a mine and you’ll see.” Sol Do unhitched herself from the wagon before levitating her pogo-axe out. “Well then, shall we?”
“You and Big Macintosh go on ahead,” Rarity said, earning a confused, and slightly horrified gaze from Applejack, which she returned with one of conviction. “I’d like to speak with Applejack in private for a while.”
Sol Do beamed in response. “If you say so.” She turned to Big Mac. “C’mon, let’s go find us a big lunker of a diamond!”
With a smile and nod, Big Mac unhitched himself from the wagon and grabbed a shovel from the wagon. Applejack watched as they descended the hill, suspicion plainly evident in her features, before turning to Rarity with a hardened gaze. “What’cha need, Rare?’
“Listen, Applejack, while we may not be particularly in favor of my cousin and your brother becoming an item, that doesn't mean we should treat the prospect with open hostility.” A soft smile crossed her muzzle. “I truly believe it won’t happen in the end, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be happy for Sol Do.”
“That ain't what has me so riled up.” Applejack shook her head. “It’s only natural ta be leery of a pony who uses death threats on anythin' that don’t follow their orders.”
“Death threats, what are you⋯ oh, the gopher from the other day.” Rarity narrowed her eyes. “Far be it from my cousin to actually follow through with such a course of action. I’m appalled you would even consider Sol Do is capable of doing such a thing.”
Applejack threw her fore hooves up exasperatedly. “Well, what am Ah s’posed ta think?”
“Maybe trust that my cousin isn’t a psychopathic criminal?” Rarity quirked an eyebrow, regarding her friend with an expression of accusatory curiosity. “You don’t think my family is full of nutcases, do you?”
Applejack relaxed her body as a small blush crept across her features as she looked downcast. Rarity sighed and laid a hoof over her friend’s withers. “Listen, Applejack, I understand if you’re concerned for your brother’s well-being, but the notion that my cousin will turn aggressive to make him her special somepony is absurd. Sol Do may be determined, but she does have limits.”
Applejack took a few moments to respond. “Yeah, I guess yer right,” she said, apologetically. “Sorry for acting so rotten.”
“You should apologize to Sol Do,” Rarity stated.
“Yeah, I guess.” Applejack turned down the hill. “Better do that now, Ah reckon.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that now, darling.” Rarity smiled. “Right now, let’s at least give Sol Do a chance to win your brother’s heart.”
“Fine then, but Ah’m still gonna keep a close watch on the two of ‘em.”
“As will I, whenever I’m not looking at all the new gems we find, that is.”
Applejack laughed at that, and the two of them set off down the hill to join their relatives.
“Remind me why we had to leave the Zap Apple Cider fur-man-tin’ all night?” Apple Bloom asked, staring at the boiling cauldron over the outdoor firepit in mixed awe and curiosity.
“Is yer memory goin' south too, young’un?” Granny Smith replied jokingly, lightly bopping the filly on the head with the branch she was holding. “It takes a while ta properly ferment even regular Apple Cider, longer still for the Zap Apple kind.”
“Well, when’s it gonna be ready?”
“Maybe by tomorrow afternoon, but only if we keep this ‘ere fire goin’ strong.” Granny Smith turned to her granddaughter. “Speaking of which, how’s about ya fetch some more wood?”
Apple Bloom tilted her head in confusion. “What about that branch yer holdin’?”
“Oh no, we need it later on.”
“Really? What for?”
“Questions, questions, questions, that’s all I get from you young’uns.” Granny Smith tsked and shook her head. “What have I been telling y’all ‘bout patience?”
Apple Bloom scrunched her face up in thought for a moment. “We need more of it?”
“Good to see yer memory ain’t failin’ after all.” Granny Smith chuckled. “Now go get some more firewood, and be quick about it!”
Apple Bloom smiled. “Sure thing, ma’am!” she said, and ran off.
“Are y’all sure you’ve never been gem-diggin’ before?” Sol Do asked Big Mac, striking her pogo-axe into the dry, cracked dirt. “‘Cause you’re doin' a very splendid job at it.”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac answered, giving his shovel a good shove into the ground. He scooped out a large section of dirt and piled it atop an already monstrous pile of dirt and rocks, next to which sat a small pile of gems of various colors and rarities. “Never been one ta bother with gems, but diggin’s somethin’ Ah can do well.”
“Mmm, I don’t doubt it.” Sol Do licked her lips at the sight of Big Mac’s strong, muscular body not more than a meter away, feeling her belly start to tingle with excitement. Don’t lose yourself Sol, take it slow and steady, and keep up the small talk.
“Sooo⋯” Sol Do briefly trailed off while trying to think of something else to say. Her gaze wandered before settling on her cousin and Applejack some distance away, also working together to locate and dig up gems. “⋯What do you think of your sister?’
Big Mac looked to her with a confused frown. “Beg yer pardon?’
“I mean, what do you think of them bein’ heroes an’ all?”
“Oh! Well, Ah’m mighty proud’a my little sister,” Big Mac replied, a fittingly proud air to his words. “Can’t say Ah would’a ever thought she’d be a hero, though, but she’s stubborn enough that it makes sense.”
Sol Do nodded. “When I first heard about Nightmare Moon’s return, and how Rarity and her friends stopped her, I was beyond shocked. I never would've thought Rarity would put her life on the line, no matter the stakes, so to hear that she helped stop the coming of eternal night left my mind reeling for days afterward.”
“Mine too.” Big Mac scooped another shovelful of dirt into the pile. “What about you?” he asked. “How do y’all feel ‘bout Rarity bein’ a hero?”
Sol Do paused her striking for a moment, pursing her lips, before letting out a long-winded breath and turning to face him. “Can y’all promise not to tell anyone my answer?”
Big Mac nodded once. “Eeyup.”
Sol Do looked downcast as she resumed striking at the ground, but her hits were noticeably weaker. “To be perfectly honest, Ah’m a might bit jealous of her.”
Big Mac cocked his head. “Jealous?”
Sol Do sighed in exasperation. “Those mares are still a very hot topic back in Hiddenite, even more so after the DELOS incident. Every other day I overhear a conversation about ‘those brave mares’ or ‘the valiant Elements’ and even ‘I wish I could be a hero like Twilight’. It really gets tiring after a while, but what makes it especially bothersome is how some ponies will come up to me asking to get in contact with Rarity. Of course I tell them to skedaddle, but only because I figured she was getting enough attention already.”
A frown creased her lips, and Sol Do ceased striking, leaving the tool suspended in her magic. “But from what I’ve seen during my time here, she hasn’t, nor have any of her friends or your sister.” She slumped a bit, her features becoming withered. “And here I thought Rarity would have her own personal harem of buff stallions when I greeted her at the train station.”
Big Mac failed to hold back a snort of amusement. “Did you really!?”
Sol Do looked up to him with a small smile. “Something to that effect, at least.”
Big Mac laughed and shook his head. “No, they ain’t got anythin’ of the sort, but there was a pretty big celebration in their honor after they returned from defeatin’ Nightmare Moon.” He shrugged. “They did hound my sister an’ her friends fer a while afterward, but now everypony’s kinda just gotten used ta havin’ them around.”
“Good for them, I suppose.” Sol Do resumed striking the ground. She carved out a large section of dirt and used her magic to dig it out. She resumed talking while sorting through the dirt for gems. “Getting back to my question, what do you think of them? I would assume you’re not jealous like I am?”
“Ah ain’t jealous,” Big Mac confirmed, smiling large. “Like Ah said, I’m mighty proud to be able ta say my little sister is a hero.”
“And you never feel undercut because of that?” Sol Do picked out a sparkling blue gem from the dirt load and set it down beside her. “I can’t imagine you’re any less qualified to be a Bearer of Harmony than your sister.”
“Ah’m sure I could’a been just as good of an Element Bearer as Applejack,” Big Mac replied. He took a moment to dig up another load of dirt. “All that matters is Equestria was saved, an’ Ah’m fine with not bein’ a part of it.” He gave her a frown. “Do y’all feel undercut?”
Sol Do set aside another gem, shrugging. “A little bit.”
“Well, Ah can’t change how ya feel, but I’ll tell ya one thing; deeds of heroism are what get y’all remembered, true, but don’t think y’all have ta save Equestria from eternal night to be a hero. There’s all kinds of things a pony can do that’d be considered heroic, even if it’s something as simple as being a good person to those around them.” He smiled again. “Ah know for a fact that yer that much from what little time we’ve spent together. Yer a hero to me, Sol Do.”
Sol Do went rigid in response to those last words. Her heart went aflutter and a small blush crept across her cheeks, which she quickly realized would stand out prominently against her white coat and turned away from Big Mac.
“Hey, Sol Do?” Big Mac said, frowning again. “Are y’all okay?”
“I-I’m fine, Big Mac,” she replied. Oh my gosh, he really just said that! “Just⋯give me a second to⋯to⋯” C’mon, think up an excuse! “⋯Wait, where’d my gems go!?”
Big Mac trotted up alongside her. Looking over her shoulder, he saw that, indeed, the gems she’d already found were missing. In their place, to his horror, was a small hole.
“It’s the diamond dogs,” Big Mac whispered. “They’re here.”
“Really?” Sol Do’s blush disappeared, replaced by an astonished expression. “Wait, what about your—” She turned around, only to stop upon seeing Big Mac’s pile of gems had disappeared as well, replaced by another, even bigger, hole. “Sonuva—!”
“Let go you brutes!”
Sol Do and Big Mac turned to see their relatives engaged in a struggle over their amassed gem horde with a couple of diamond dogs. Both sides pulled at the wagon with great force, neither willing to surrender, but the advantage of having more dexterous paws instead of hooves saw to it that the canines were slowly winning the impromptu tug-of-war. Nevertheless, Applejack and Rarity refused to give up, holding determined expressions along with the wagon.
“Hang on y’all!” Sol Do called. Levitating her pogo-axe alongside herself, she shot off toward them. “Imma comin’!”
She’d only made it halfway when she suddenly tripped, falling flat on her face and receiving a bloody muzzle as a consequence. She quickly shook herself off and glanced back to find a canine paw coming out of the ground and grabbing her fetlock. The dirt around it rose up and fell away as the dog it belonged to stood up, looking down at her with a sinister grin.
“You’ll make a great worker for us!” it said in a scratchy voice.
Sol Do didn't reply, instead choosing to levitate her pogo-axe around to attempt to hook around the canine’s neck. Her effort proved unsuccessful, for the mutt grabbed it out of the air with his free paw before it could connect with his neck. With a firm jolt, he slammed it into the ground between them, wedging it well and good into a crack in a show of great strength.
Sol Do gulped in response, but continued to struggle to break free regardless. The Dog didn't let up, keeping his strong hold on her, almost effortlessly. He sniggered in glee, and moved to drag her into the ground when a tall shadow fell across him, to which he spun around in shock. The last thing he saw before unconsciousness took hold was a brief flash of red and orange.
“Are y’all okay Sol Do?” Big Mac asked, reaching a hoof down to help her up.
“Y-Yeah, I’m okay,” she stuttered, accepting his hoof and righting herself. She pulled her pogo-axe out of the ground and brought it to her side. “Thanks a bunch fer savin’ me.”
“No problem,” he replied with a smile. “Now let’s help out Rares and my sister.”
Sol Do was about to agree, but paused as a sudden thought came to her mind. An eager smile stretched over her muzzle as she realized she now had another chance to impress Big Macintosh.
“Y’all just leave it ta me!” she said with great enthusiasm.
Big Mac watched with confusion as Sol Do stepped onto her pogo-axe and turned to face the remaining two diamond dogs. Sol Do’s eager smile turned mischievous as she picked up some momentum and began bouncing her way across the ground toward them, Big Mac remaining speechless all the while, merely watching with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
Meanwhile, Rarity, Applejack, and the dogs were too busy pulling with declining strength to notice Sol Do approaching.
“Why can’t you uncouth ruffians just get your own gems?” Rarity said in between grunts of exertion. “There’s enough here for all of us!”
“Gems belong to dog packs,” one of the canines answered, straining to keep his paws firmly secured on the wagon. “Only dog packs may keep gems.”
“Quit bein’ greedy hogs and go away for goodness sake!” Applejack yelled.
“Never!” the dogs replied in unison.
“Ah beg ta differ!”
Before anyone could so much as locate the voice’s origin, the dog straight across from Applejack suddenly let go of the wagon in response to Sol Do’s Pogo-axe slamming on his head from above. The dog fell to the ground, rasping at the sharp pain lancing through his head, while the other dog fell forward on his stomach, his lone strength outmatched by the two mares as they pulled the wagon away from him.
Sol Do bounced off the first dog’s head and landed next to Rarity and Applejack with a series of soft bounces, eventually coming to a stop and retracting her Pogo-axe. “Are y’all okay?” she asked them.
“Yeah, Ah’m good,” Applejack answered, panting lightly.
“And I as well,” Rarity followed, panting heavily.
Sol Do nodded her affirmative, then turned to the last conscious diamond dog as he rose to his feet. “Y’all wanna go another round?’ she asked cockily, twirling her pogo-axe around with her magic.
The Dog shook his head frantically. “No, no, we’ll leave,” he said.
“Good ta hear,” Sol Do replied. She waved a hoof dismissively. “Now skedaddle.”
“Yes ma’am!” The dog quickly dived back into the hole, but resurfaced a few moments later with a sheepish smile. “Could you um, help with my—”
“Already on it,” Big Macintosh said as he approached. Draped across his back was the dog that he’d knocked unconscious earlier. He stepped up to the hole and gently lowered the unconscious canine to his friend, who let him slide down the hole without so much as touching him. A distant thud was heard a moment later down the hole.
“Y’all better think twice ‘fore pullin’ something like this again,” Sol Do said as she levitated the remaining dog to the hole. It too fell down without any help from its brethren. “Am Ah makin’ myself clear, now?”
The dog nodded, its expression comparable to that of a foal caught making mischief by their parents.
“Good, we’ll be on our way as well.” Sol Do turned and walked up to the wagon. Hitching it to herself, she called back to the others, “C’mon now, y’all, Ah think we’ve got enough fer today, don’t ‘cha think!?”
The other three ponies shared a glance before following after Sol Do, giving the dog a few over-the-shoulder glares as they caught up to her.
“Thanks for helping us, Sol Do,” Rarity said, giving her cousin an earnest smile.
“Don’t mention it, cuz,” Sol Do replied, returning her smile. “But Ah wouldn’t’ve been able to if’n Big Mac didn’t save me.” She turned to him with a thankful, yet sultry expression. “Y’all walloped him real good.”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed. “No canine varmints are gonna foalnap any of my friends while Ah’m around.”
So he considers me a friend, huh? Sol Do nodded slightly in affirmation of her progress. Good, now to further my objective.
“Yer brother’s a real dependable stallion, AJ,” she said, turning to Applejack. The orange mare regarded her with an expression of disinterest, which Sol Do returned with one of cheekiness. “Does that run in the family, or is he just special like that?”
Applejack’s lips curled up into a smile. “Wouldn’t you like ta know?” she teased.
“I would, indeed,” Sol Do replied, complimenting her cheeky expression with a quirked eyebrow. “In fact—” She returned her gaze to Big Macintosh, her cheeky grin changing to a friendly smile, “—why don’t we spend some more time together, just the two of us? I had a grand time today with you, and I’d be perfectly happy to join you for whatever activities that you may appreciate my company.”
Big Mac regarded her with a blank expression for a moment, followed by a friendly smile of his own. “That depends; are y’all up fer more chores?”
“Indeed I am,” Sol Do replied, while thinking to herself, Well, nopony ever said courting was easy.
“Good, cause Ah’ve got an order ta deliver to a Cajun swamp village a ways from Ponyville, and it’s nestled in what’s probably the only place that can rival the Everfree for the most hazardous section of land in Equestria. After seein’ ya take out them dogs, Ah think y’all would make a pretty decent bodyguard.”
Sol Do’s eyes lit up as she struggled to contain an excited yelp. Her heartbeat began hammering in her chest, and her mind went abuzz with all the possibilities if this would entail them being alone together.
“Why, I’d be honored to act as your bodyguard,” she drawled out after a momentary silence.
“Good ta hear,” Big Mac said.
A flutter in her heart, Sol Do turned to Applejack, surprised the orange mare hadn’t reacted to her brother’s offer. “No objection from you?” she whispered to her, cocking an eyebrow.
Applejack looked downcast before whispering back, “Ah’m mighty sorry, Sol Do.”
Sol Do cocked her other brow. “Pardon?”
Applejack sighed and turned to her brother and Rarity. “You two go on ahead, I wanna talk with Sol Do privately for a bit.”
Rarity and Big Mac nodded, the former winking at Applejack, before continuing toward Ponyville.
Sol Do gave Applejack a curious stare. “Y’all seem a might bit different in yer approach this time, Applejack,” she mused.
“That’s because Ah wanna apologize for how I’ve been treatin’ ya.” Applejack looked downcast again. “Ah treated y’all pretty bad over the past few days, which was wrong through and through, ‘specially since you’re related to Rarity.” She gave Sol Do a pleading stare. “Can y’all forgive me?”
Sol Do was taken aback by the unexpected apology, evidenced by the surprised expression she wore in response. She let Applejack’s words sink in before replying with a confused, “What made y’all change yer mind?”
Applejack gave a small smile. “Rarity,” she answered.
Sol Do tilted her head. “What’d she do?”
“She gave me a right proper talkin’ to is what she did,” Applejack said with a snort.
“Well, that’s all well and good, and I forgive you,” Sol Do replied.
“Thanks,” Applejack said, relief evident in her tone.
“But why’ve ya been so vehemently against my crush on yer brother.” Sol Do resumed her curious stare. “Bein’ protective is one thing, but y’all’ve been acting like Ah’m a crazed lunatic straight out of an insane asylum or somethin’.”
A sheepish grin formed over Applejack’s muzzle and she chuckled softly. Sol Do merely frowned at the reaction before rolling her eyes.
“Well, no matter,” she said, and resumed walking. Applejack followed alongside, keeping a few paces of distance between them out of respect. “Long as yer done treatin' me like a crook, we’ll get along jus' fine from here on out.”
“Ah don’t plan on doing so anymore,” Applejack said. “In return, can Ah just get some reassurance from ya that you’ll drop this crush stuff if’n my brother ain’t interested?”
“Sure, sure, I’ll drop it,” Sol Do promised, then flashed Applejack a shit-eating grin. “But don’t expect me to give it merely one hundred percent. Oh no, I’ll be operating at three hundred percent romantic capacity by the time I finally throw in the towel. Mark. My. Words.” And with that, she turned ahead.
Applejack had to physically shake herself to break from the stupor Sol Do’s words put her into.
Are all the mares in Rarity’s family this plum stir crazy!? she wondered, feeling a discomforting dread creep upon her. As she crested a hill which overlooked Ponyville, the rest of the group having begun their descent down, a sudden, frightening thought crossed her mind, making her shudder. And ta think, she’s gonna buy a second house here.