"We're here," rumbled Big Macintosh as he placed the pickup in park and pulled the parking brake into position. The small black 4X4 purred softly and obediently before he turned the key and she quieted down to rest. Macintosh popped open the door and slid off the seat and out. His boots thudded softly on the grassy turf and his boot cut jeans swished together as he rounded the front of the truck and opened the passenger side door. The sun was on it's way, almost to the horizon for sunset.
Holding the door open with his right, his left held out as a handhold and anchor for his lady friend in the passenger seat.
A soft hand grasped the farmboy's rough work hand, feet shoulder width apart, the farmboy was rock steady as she pulled herself out using his hand.
Twilight Sparkle's own boots thudded down onto the grass besides his, "Thanks Mac, but I am big enough to help myself out of shotgun, big softie." She had on curve hugging jeans tucked over nice non-work cowgirl boots. A light purple and white plaid button up shirt, short sleeve, buttoned most of the way out and left untucked. The shirt top was open to reveal a country girl amount of cleavage.
Twilight didn't have the bust of Rarity or Apple Jack but it was definitely there and had a respectable and eye grabbing amount to show. Her bra underneath merely there to contain and compress what all was there.
A lavender bandana tied around her neck, the knot behind her neck with the wedge in front hanging down to tickle her when the edge nicked under the unbuttoned top.
The gentleman helping her was dressed similar, except he had a red and white short sleeve plaid shirt completely unbuttoned. Underneath it was a solid red t-shirt with the face of a green apple cut down the middle on it.
"Eeyup, but you're a Princess, and I will always hold the door open for you, m'lady," still holding his left hand, Twilight used her free hand to smack him on the chest solidly. Not enough to hurt the toughened farmboy though.
"I thought I told you none of the Princess nonsense, I'll be having no more of it, from you of all people," she reached back in the truck and withdrew a leather satchel, throwing it over her head to rest on her shoulder with a practiced, deft move.
"Your wish is my command," sniped the country man with a knowing smile.
Twilight gave him a playful glare that didn't contain any malice in it's gaze. She ruffled his short blond hair, having to reach up a bit to do so. Her own hair was in the perfect organization and straight lines as usually, pink stripe in it's spot and her bangs in a perfect line across her brow.
The school girl, turning county by association, closed the door and picked up her date's hand and started up towards the barn on the hill close by, "Besides, that Princess stuff doesn't fit in this picture."
Big Macintosh shrugged and allowed himself to be pulled towards the barn, "Hmm, nope." He said in his infinite wisdom.
The leading lady looked back and smirked at him as they made their way to the barn. "So who all is going to be here, tonight?"
The farmboy tilted his head skyward in thought for a moment, and then spoke, "Should be quite a crowd, AJ pulled in Apples from all over." Macintosh grimaced slightly, and he stopped walking.
Stopping, with him, Twilight sent him a questioning look and searched his face for answers to the sudden stop.
"Twi, Ah forgot to warn you earlier. Some family members of the Apple Clan are old, really old," he left it at that to try and keep from actually saying it, hoping she'd figure it out.
Alas, she was a tad naïve and didn't understand, "What does being really old family have to do with it?"
"Well..." Macintosh shifted his weight from foot to foot, "They're old and so are their habits, some are still stuck back in time and don't like people with magic ability. Especially noble magically people."
"I still don't get what this has to do with tonight though, I thought you and AJ had made it know you were dating a Mage turned Princess. Besides, don't they know about Applejack and Lunar-tic?" Twilight now was a bit more perplexed than before they got here.
Cracking a smile at her innocence, "Eeyup, Ah made sure they know. Ah'm probably just being worrisome, Ah don't want one of them to start somethin', just stick by me and all should be fine."
Twilight mulled that over and nodded, "Doesn't sound too terrible of a night, having to stick with you the entire time!"
Macintosh closed his eyes and exhaled in silent laughter as he shook his head, "It won't be, it'll be fun."
The pair approached the barn door and the farmboy swung his arm up to wrap around Twilight's waist and pull her close. He pushed open the door.
Inside the barn were Apples, lots of Apples.
A table piled with copious amounts of food was along the far side of the barn. On the long side of the barn, in the middle of the stretch, was a raised platform. On it were four guys and gals decked out in jeans, boots, plaid, and Stetsons. The four up there worked away at fiddles, a six string, and what sounded like a saloon style piano.
The crowd of numerous people in the barn all appeared alike, jeans, boots and Stetsons dominated the crowd. A thin layer of hay covered the barn floor and softened the sound of so many foot falls as they moved around.
Their entrance hardly made any impact on the crowd, mingling who loudly called, yelled, hollered and generally talked to one another to catch up. Their arrival didn't go unnoticed though, Twilight easily picked out Applejack weaving through the crowd, dragging someone with her. Another tagged along behind her. Three men at the food table glanced over and nodded at her, she tilted her head down in acknowledgement. They looked away as two split off and one, a giant of a man with a golden vest, stayed at the table and continued eating.
Unbeknownst to Twilight or Macintosh, a man in a rather large tan hat glanced and glared at them briefly before turning away back to the people he was talking to.
"Wooee! Lot's of Apples showed up to this reunion!" Was Applejack's opening line as she hopped up to the pair. The country girl was dressed rather skimpily. Stereotypical cowgirl boots but short jean shorts above the middle of her thighs. Her orange short sleeve button up shirt was only buttoned in the middle and it seemed too small for her. Shamelessly showing her bare stomach and quite a bit of cleavage. The brown Stetson completed her look.
The guy she dragged behind her was dressed like everybody else; boots (but black combat boots), plaid, and jeans. Long sleeve, blue plaid shirt unbuttoned over a darker blue tight undershirt. His top of flaming orange hair seemed somewhat tidy. Freckles adorned his face and he seemed intent on using the hand taken by Applejack to pull down the other sleeve and cover what appeared to be a leather gauntlet. He kept scanning the crowd.
"Hi there, AJ, not too much trouble with this size of get together?" Responded Twilight.
"Nope! We have this reunion stuff down pat!" she squeezed the guys hand to stop his scanning and bring him into the conversation. "It is ok to say hi," she reprimanded.
"Hey, Lunar-tic," Twilight said to him. To Applejack, "Oh, leave him be, you should know how those guys get when I show up."
Applejack stuck her tongue at Twilight, "Ah know, it still is annoying. Although I am mighty grateful, Iron Clad eats like a whole bear. Hopefully, he'll start doin' his job and stop all the eatin' me outta house and home!"
Macintosh rumbled gently in laughter next to her, "Iron Clad will just rove with the table on one shoulder." Twilight bit her tongue to keep from laughing at the image of a man carrying a table laden with food while roving.
"Where's Willow at?" She asked instead of laughing.
Applejack gave her a knowing look, "Where do ya think? He's doing 'recon' on that bike of his. And of course Dash took off after him, challenging him to a race or they're both probably jumping over the pond if Ah know the two. Which sadly I do."
Even Lunar smiled at that quip but he didn't stop his scanning.
From behind Applejack and Lunar-tic, leapt up a man and he threw an arm around each of them, squeezing them together. Lunar yelped and began to raise his gauntleted hand at the sudden attack, Applejack skillfully clamped a hand on his arm and brought it back down.
"Howdy, cous," spoke Macintosh.
"Howdy Mac! It's been a while since Ah've been out of APPLELOOOOOSA!" Shouted Braeburn at the ceiling.
The four winced slightly as he shouted skywards, but came back to attention when he finished his yell. "Yes, yes it has been. Now Ah wonder why that may be?" Innocently asked Applejack.
Braeburn flicked the brim of his hat to reset it on his head, "If Ah didn't know any better, Ah'd say that was a smart remark by you." The Appleloosan retracted his arms from around the pair and straightened his brown vest.
"Howdy, Braeburn," humor in Twilight's voice, "Although could you not surprise LT Lt?"
"Oh, pffshah, that wasn't much of a surprise!"
"Then howabout ya tone down your voice a few tads, cause that's a bit of the side of deafening," sniped Applejack.
Thankfully, Lunar-tic broke into it with a brief interruption, "Hey, Willow's got something on the perimeter, possibly nothing but he's going in guns up." Lunar-tic then seemed to look off into the distance as four sharp cracks were severely dulled by the crowd and the hay and the barn walls.
"Alright," Lunar-tic seemed to say to himself, then to the small crowd that consisted of him, Big Macintosh, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Braeburn, "Problem solved, Willow's heading back here." A small smirk showed through his words as he delivered the brief news.
"Hold on," Braeburn grabbed his arm as Applejack began to turn them away to the main crowd, "What was that?"
Lunar-tic shrugged, "Just some retarded Changelings, Willow took care of them."
Braeburn looked around shocked, but his expression was met with just bored shrugs.
"Not the first time," supplied Big Macintosh.
"Comes with the job, Brae," said Twilight Sparkle.
"Great, now I gotta clean tomorrow," griped Applejack.
A stunned Braeburn was drug away by Lunar-tic and Applejack, while Lunar was trying to counter her gripes, "Oh come on, Echoes won't leave any trace of..." Was heard as they walked off.
"Poor Braeburn," said Twilight softly while giggling behind a raised hand. Big Macintosh rumbled like a storm cloud beside her.
The red hunk beside her leaned over and spoke softly, "He's just gonna have to get used to being cousins with a Princess." When Twilight shrugged nonchalantly, he added, "And try to keep the Princess side down a tad, I already spot three guys that may try to cause trouble."
As if in direct objection to his claim, those three guys came over, hands out stretched in greeting.
“Hiya!” nearly yelled the fist one in Twilight’s face, “I'm Crooked Apple, we're the family that represents Apples up in Manehatten!"
"Well, hello to you guys," Twilight shook Crooked's hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Aw, shucks. The pleasure's all mine, Princess Twilight," she blushed at his praise, and was unsure how to respond to that. Fortunately for her, she felt Big Mac swing an arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight to him.
"Eeyup, but keep it on the down low guys, she is here to try and escape the crowds." Hmm, she thought, clever.
"Of course she is! Heck, those stuck up Canterlot types have got to be annoying after awhile," Twilight just blushed deeper.
Macintosh opened his mouth to speak again but stopped when he felt someone tapping on his back. "Hey Big Mac, I brought your fiddle down."
Macintosh and Twilight turned towards each other and peered behind them. Behind them stood little Apple Bloom, indeed with a black violin case in her arms.
The big man sighed, "I thought we made it clear I don't play at these things."
"Aww, but what about Devil went down to Ponyville?" She pouted.
It was if someone had been shot.
The entire barn stopped, froze in place, and turned to look at the pair. A pin could have been dropped, but the noise would have been absorbed by the hay strewn across the floor. Then from near the stage came the strong, clear voice of Apple Jack yelling, "YEAH! Devil went down to Ponyville!"
There was a surge of people around them as they pushed and pulled Big Mac onto the stage, his violin case thrust up at him.
Twilight held on to his hand as the crowd hauled him, but let go at the stage as he was shoved up there with an indignant yelp. He gingerly set his case down on the stage, the other performers had cleared off it.
Big Macintosh glared at the crowd, "Ya guys know, Ah really didn't appreciate that."
"Get on with it!" Yelled Applejack in response.
He shook is head in resignation, "Alright, now where's the Devil at?"
"Right here, cous," Twilight looked over to the other side of the stage to see Braeburn climbing up onto it. "Hey, Octy, can I borrow your fiddle there?" He pointed at the encased instrument leaning against the wall on the stage. The women nodded in confirmation, and Twiling had a flash of déjà vu before the violinist disappeared in the crowd.
"How long have ya been waiting to do this?" Asked Big Mac.
"Oh, awhile now," he grinned.
"Come on! Get your fiddle out already!" Goaded Applejack.
Macintosh fixated her with a glare, "It's a violin you damned heathen." He unpacked the violin, attached the shoulder pad and jockeyed it into place under his chin. He hoisted the beautiful curved bow and placed it on the strings.
He paused, and silenced reigned supreme throughout the barn. Twilight found herself holding her breath as the hair rested on the strings.
With no warning, that bow flashed down and dragged the hair across the strings. His fingers flashed around the violin's neck, dancing on the strings as he whipped out a flurry of notes. The violin's pitch climbed quickly with each quick note before dying down with longer draws of the bow.
Applejack hauled herself onto the stage with the last dying note, stood up and said;
(This is such a great song! ( http://youtu.be/K6RUg-NkjY4 ))
"The Devil went down to Ponyville,
He was looking for a soul to steal.
He was in a bind, he was way behind,
And he was willing to make a deal."
Macintosh lightly worked the bow back and forth, adding a light undercurrent of tones to Applejack's narration.
"When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hawt.
And the Devil jumped upon a hickory stump and said, 'Boy, let me tell you what."
Braeburn grinned at Macintosh from across the stage as Applejack continued.
"I bet you didn't know it,
But I'm a fiddle player too.
And if you care to take a dare,
I'll make a bet with you.
Now you play a pretty good fiddle,
But give the devil is due.
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul 'cause I think I'm better than you."
"The boy said--" Applejack closed her mouth abruptly as Big Mac dropped his violin down and interrupted her with;
"My name's Macky,
And it might be a sin.
But Ah'll take your bet,
You're gonna regret.
'Cause I'm the best that's ever been."
Applejack took the initiative back and narrated;
"Macky rosin up your bow,
And play your fiddle hard.
'Cause Hell's broke loose in Ponyville,
And the Devil deal's it hard.
And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold,
But if you lose the Devil gets your sooouuul!"
Macintosh's fingers disappeared in a flurry as he belted out a quick string of notes.
Applejack turned to Braeburn, who knelt by his borrowed violin case.
"The Devil opened up his case,
And said I'll start this show.
Fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow.
And he pulled the bow across his strings and it made an evil hiss.
Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this."
Applejack cut off and gestured to Braeburn.
His bow dragged across the string, left hand's vibrato quite a sight, after that first note he paused, and two of the earlier performers jumped back on the stage. The guitarist hurried over to the Devil's side and strummed a easy, simple but evil sounding tune. The other one hopped back to the piano and pinged out a simple accompany piece.
Then Braeburn locked eyes with Macintosh and jackhammered his bow across the strings in lighting fast repetitions before peeling off on a high note and working all the way down the scale, then screeching back up. Bow hair detached from the frog and waved furiously back and forth as Brae lashed evil tones at Macintosh.
Just as quickly as he started, the violin let out a demonic screech and died to silence.
Macintosh smiled at Braeburn and readied his violin, "Well your pretty good ol' son. But sit down in that chair and let me show you how it's down!"
A lighting quick scale before he shouted, "Fire on the mountain, run boys run!"
The bow flew from tip to frog in blindingly fast movements, jockeying up and down like a demented bat as it flew from string to string, "The Devil's in the house with the risin' sun!"
A simple, but furiously fast climb back up the scale, "Chicken in the bread pin, pickin' out dough." The piano joined in a lively accompaniment and he swung around down the scale. He gave Braeburn a feral grin, "Granny, does your dog bite" "No, child, no."
With that last word, the violin exploded in a torrent of noise as Big Mac closed his eyes and swung that bow in lightning flashes across the violin. Horse hair disconnected from both sides as he sawed furiously on the steel strings. The instrument itself shook back in forth as Big Mac's upper body moved around in time with the scales, shaking his head back in forth with the notes. His golden hair waved with his head, and a few drops of sweat trickled down his forehead to be flung off his face. He kept going, and Twilight was, simply put, amazed.
His powerfully muscled arm gently guided his finger hand to dance intricately in blurring patterns while his right arm pumped that bow to speeds rivaling Rainbow Dash. A white dust rose off his instrument, and her brain dimly recognized it as rosin dust, but the rest of her was too focused on the display of Macintosh belting out notes too fast to follow individually.
Macintosh continued on, for far longer than Twilight thought possible to maintain perfect performance, but that he did.
And it was perfect up to and including the point where his pace shifted from short lighting notes to longer draws of his bow as the tune died back down.
Twilight let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding, and looked over at Braeburn, who was smiling a rueful grin.
While Macintosh had a rightful smug expression as he smiled back at him.
Applejack picked it back up,
"The Devil bowed his head,
'Cause he knew he'd been beat.
And he laid that golden fiddle
On the ground at Macky's feet."
Macintosh took over,
"Devil just come on back,
If you ever want to try again.
I done told you once,
You sonuvagun Ah'm the best that's ever been."
Then, to her astonishment, the bow now missing almost half it's hair, was shot back to his strings as Macintosh let rip the melody again. Only now it was faster, louder, and more intricate. The bow flying from note to note as it climbed and skipped all up and down the scale. The skill was close to the ridiculous level, making Twilight wonder just how long he had spent practicing this song. Some one piped up with the chorus from the crowd as Macintosh sawed away, to busy to sing himself. The notes rose in a resounding climax, his bow taking longer, more powerful strokes in time with the piano hammering harmonic notes. The 'Devil', Braeburn, threw his violin up as well from the climax and all three worked harmonically powerful notes that resounded throughout the barn.
The three preformed held one long, powerful note before quickly doubling it in a strong ending.
And Twilight was the first one to cheer, letting out a loud country girl whoop as she jumped onto the stage and ran to him. Macintosh's smile grew as he saw her, and the crowd exploded in cheers at the performance. Twilight connected with him and wrapped her arms tightly around him after the spectacular performance, her lips pressed against his in a breathless kiss as Macintosh wrapped his bow arm around her and picked her up, spinning with her. She could taste the salty sweat that had dripped down his face to land on his lips, but she didn't care.
Twilight reluctantly pulled away and smiled down at him, as Macintosh had lifted her up above him. "That was incredible!" She gushed to him, "I had no idea you could play that fast!"
The big man gently set her down, but his arms stayed wrapped around her at her lower back, he bowed his head to meet her's forehead to forehead. "Kinda runs in the family," Mac offered. His face was flustered, and he appeared edgy with the crowd cheering for his performance.
"Still awesome!" She insisted as he gingerly placed his violin back inside the velvet case. The cheering was slowly beginning to subside as the original musicians resumed their positions, the alleged Octavia having her violin returned from a rueful Braeburn. Macintosh swung the violin case around his body by the carrying strap and slung it across his back, then taking her hand to lead them off the stage and back into the crowd.
The big man slipped through the crowd wherever there was a hole, and if one wasn’t apparent, he nudged one open. Twilight would have lost him had she not been holding onto his hand. They stopped at the edge of the crowd, by the barn wall with the table piled high with food.
“Now what was that all about?”Gently asked Twilight as she pulled him close, the general hubbub of the crowd was still there, but no longer directed at them.
He smiled sheepishly at her, “Ah hate having that dang spotlight on me,” Macintosh gingerly touched foreheads with her. “Ah can gladly say Ah prefer the quiet times we get to spend together.”
Twilight wrapped her arms up around his shoulders, “No biggie, we can always just leave for a moonlit stroll through the orchard, if you want.” She offered.
He smiled again, a real one with infectious happiness beaming from it, “If you had said that a moment ago, Ah’d have leapt at it. As it is, my favorite part should be happening right about now.”
Her eyes quirked in confusion, “What should be happening?”
Big Macintosh waggled his eyebrows as an easily recognizable voice shouted from Applejack, “It’s time for some Square Dancing!”
“Right on time,” he whispered to her, his confidence back in spades, “How about it, Princess Twilight. It sure ain’t a ball dance, but would you have this dance with me?” He proffered his hand to her in a small, gentlemanly bow.
“Yes, always yes,” deja vu made her smile as it seemed she grasped his hand for the umpteenth time that night. Twilight punched him with her free hand, “As soon as you cut out that Princess nonsense.”
“Eenope!” He responded before them rejoined the crowd of mingling people that were organizing for the Square Dancing.