//------------------------------// // The Challenge // Story: Illustrated Shorts // by Allonsbro //------------------------------//   “AJ, you home?” Rainbow called out, hobbling in through the side door to the Apple’s dining room. Practice had been a little harder on her that day, leaving her a little worse for wear.  Her body sported a number of scrapes and bruises and she had a nasty looking gash on the inside of her left front hoof.   The prismatic pegasus glanced around, sighing with relief that no one would see her in such a state. Not that she really cared what she looked like, it was more of a matter of avoiding pesky questions.   Rainbow headed straight for the cupboard with the bandages, grabbing the roll in her teeth and promising herself to resupply the Apples later. The fur on the back of her neck bristled when she heard movement behind her. She jumped, whirling around to face the entrance into the living room.   She breathed a sigh at the sight of Big Macintosh standing there, his massive form leaving a long shadow from the light in the living room.   “Mac!” she exclaimed, “Jeeze, you almost gave me a heart attack!”   The red stallion brought a hoof to his lips, then pointed to the room behind him.  Rainbow leaned, looking into the living room and only now noticing the sounds of Granny Smith asleep in her rocker.   “Sorry,” she apologized.   Mac nodded, accepting her apology and moved toward her. Rainbow took a step back out of his way as he reached into the cupboard and pulled out a bottle, holding it out for her to read the label.   “What’s this?” She read the label and grimaced. Mac pointed to her leg. “Oh it’s, uh, not that bad. I was just gonna wrap it to stop the bleeding. It’s not even that deep.”   Mac gave her a look, one she couldn’t quite place, but one that still made her squirm, like when she’d used to get busted for staying out too late, or breaking something important when she was young.   Rainbow sighed. “Mind giving me a hoof?”   Taking the bottle, Mac walked to the kitchen table, offering Rainbow the stool next to him. She tenderly held out her hoof and looked away as Mac held a rag under it, preparing to pour the disinfectant.   “Ow!” she yelled.   Mac cleared his throat and Rainbow looked at her hoof. She blushed, seeing he hadn’t even picked up the bottle yet.   “Uh, heh. Sorry. Go ahead.”   The red stallion tenderly held her hoof in his right one, pouring a small amount of the disinfectant from the bottle. Rainbow flinched, hissing through her teeth. Mac held her leg a bit more firmly, reminding her to hold still as he cleaned the cut. Removing a strip of bandage from the roll, he began to wrap her hoof.   “So, uh, where’s Applejack?” Rainbow asked, deciding to try and start a conversation. She vaguely remembered Scootaloo talking about spending the night with the crusaders. “Is she dropping Apple Bloom off with Scoots and Sweetie Belle?”   Mac nodded. “Eeyup.”   Rainbow realized that was the first word she’d heard him say since she came in the house. Also that word and its negative counterpart were the only things she ever heard him say. Smirking inwardly, she wondered if she could get him to say something longer than two or three words.   “So, how is everybody? Everything going pretty good?” She internally slapped her forehead, already seeing his answer.   “Eeyup.”   ‘Open-ended questions only, Dash’, she chided herself.   “Good. Uh, how about apples? How’s the apple business treating ya?”   The stallion merely shrugged, grabbing the end of the bandage with his teeth and pulling it tight. Rainbow winced, though her pride was hurting more than the cut. She decided to try one more time.   The stallion finished wrapping her hoof and released it. Rainbow examined his work, giving it an approving smile.   “Hey, that’s pretty good. How’d you learn that?”   The red stallion gathered up the roll of bandages and the disinfectant. He hesitated in replying, looking Rainbow directly in the eye.   “Scouts,” he said simply.   He smirked, his eyes twinkling in a knowing way that irked her. The pegasus realized he’d known all along what she was doing. His back turned to her as he got up and went to put the supplies away. Rainbow gave him the stink eye, then sighed in defeat.   “OK, ya got me,” she confessed. “But come on, you hardly ever say anything. Can you really blame me?”   He didn’t answer, just turned from the cupboard and looked at her across the room.   “Come on,” she urged. “I’m curious. Honestly. How come you never say anything?”   The stallion smiled, wordlessly conveying his appreciation of her finally being forthcoming with him.   “Economics,” he replied.   Rainbow blinked. “What?”   Mac chuckled.   “No, seriously, what?” Rainbow asked, making other sounds of disbelief.   Still laughing, the apple farmer moved past her to the door, opening it.   “Care to join me for a walk?” he asked.   Rainbow’s confusion was all but forgotten. She silently patted herself on the back.   “Yeah, sure.”