//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Promises Broken and Beautiful Surprises // by n_neptune //------------------------------// “For the last time Derpy, I don’t need a ‘cheer-up’ muffin, I’m not sad!” Rainbow Dash practically shouted, nearing the edge of her patience, but not wanting to take it out on the well-meaning mailmare. One who was currently standing on her doorstep holding her daily mail and a muffin. “If you’re sure, Rainbow,” Derpy said, eating the muffin herself and flying off to deliver letters to the house on her route. “Now if only it were that easy to get Rarity off my case,” Rainbow Dash sighed, flying off to town hall for the daily weather meeting. She’d gone three whole weeks after her and Big Mac’s anniversary acting like everything was normal, not letting anyone see her effected by emotions. She’d gone to work and done it up to her standards. She’d hung out with friends and coworkers, laughed and traded stories, and done everything else that she would normally do. It was almost enough to convince herself. She couldn’t help but keep an eye on the train station though whenever she heard that distinctive whistle. That Saturday, twenty one days late, she finally saw a large red pony exiting a train form Appleoosa. She flew at top speed to the train station, still not sure whether to yell at him or kiss him silly. She still hadn’t made up her mind when she noticed how utterly exhausted he looked. Big Mac, to Rainbow Dash, had never looked in worse shape. He had bags under his eyes, was walking very slowly and slightly off balance, and his coat was dull, matted and covered in mud. He reminded Rainbow Dash of when Twilight had first come to Ponyville and AppleJack had tried to do an entire harvest by herself. Only ten times worse. Immediately, several images flashed memories flashed through her mind. /*/*Start Flashback 1*/*/ “I hope you like it,” Big Mac said as he pushed an envelope toward Rainbow Dash. It was early August, a little less than four months since they had started dating, and it also happened to be Rainbow Dash’s birthday today. There was a large crowd of people outside, but she and Big Mac had set time aside for him to give her the gift in private. “I’m sure It’ll be better than what the cakes got me,” She laughed, blushing slightly at the thought of the…informative…set of books that the married couple had given Rainbow Dash. Specifically targeted to pegasai / earth pony couples, of course. Complete with diagrams. Big Mac just chuckled and waited for Rainbow to open the envelope. “No WAY!” Rainbow Dash said after she took the hint and opened her present – Two box seats to the Manehatten Annual Derby, one of the most high-end and exclusive pegasai races around. Rainbow Dash had even though of asking Celestia or Luna to help get her tickets, but the diarchs had refused. Now she knew why. “How did you pull this off?” She asked, flinging her forelegs around Big Mac’s neck in a tight hug. “I might have helped one of the judges fix their wagon while they were in Ponyville a couple of months ago. Thought of you when he told me what he did,” Big Mac explained with a smile. He’d always believed that being good to others was rewarded, and in this case it turned out to be true. “You’re amazing! I can’t wait!” Dash cheered, practically squeeling. “There’s more,” Big Mac said with a smile. “What?” Dash asked. “I asked Twilight about that fancy cloud-walking spell she does,” Big Mac explained. “I had to tell her what your present was, of course, but she agreed to cast it on me so I can be in the stands with you!” He beamed. Rainbow Dash responded by giving him one of their most intense kisses yet. “I think I’m ready to tell everyone about us,” Dash said when they had pulled apart once again. “You mean it?” He asked, looking like it was Christmas come early. “Dibs on not telling AppleJack!” She laughed, putting a foreleg up to her nose. /*/*End Flashback 1*/*/ /*/*Start Flashback 2*/*/ It was the fall harvest season, late September, and they’d been dating for more than five months. “Can you put some more empty baskets under those trees?” AppleJack said to Rainbow Dash, gesturing to a row of unharvested trees to her left. “I must say Rainbow, I know you’re dating my brother, but I didn’t expect you to do so much to help out,” AppleJack admitted, giving Rainbow Dash a rare compliment on her work. “And you’ve been doing pretty well, too.” “I try,” Dash laughed. “Though I’m not the one doing the actual bucking,” She pointed out in a rare fit of modesty. She went back to where the empty baskets were in the barn, piled high in one corner and four carts full of baskets of apples sitting right outside the door. She put four empty baskets on her back and headed out the barn door. Unfortunately, she lost her balance while walking past the carts. It was like it occurred in slow motion, Rainbow Dash recalled. She felt herself slip on a bit of muddy ground near the carts, the baskets falling off her back, and herself barreling into the carts. She watched in shock as one cart knocked into the next, and eventually all four of them falling into the river downhill from where they had stood. After a second, her reflexes had kicked in and she tried to catch them, but they were too heavy and even she couldn’t be in four places at once. A few seconds later, the apples were floating in the water and the Apple siblings were barreling around the corner, coming to investigate the cause of the noise. “I’m so sorry, Big Mac,” Rainbow Dash said, starring in horror at the four carts full of apples turned over into the river. “It’s okay Rainbow,” Big Mac said, putting a comforting hoof around her shoulders. “The hay it is! That’s ten percent of our crop there, Big Mac!” AppleJack yelled after taking in the situation. “And do you remember your first harvest? When you destroyed almost a quarter of the crop by being too aggressive with the trees and knocking out all of the growing apples along with the ripe ones?” Big Mac challenged, causing AppleJack to look down in shame. “I…I reckon we’re each allowed one big mistake our first harvest,” AppleJack finally conceded. “I can pay for the ruined apples, honest,” Rainbow said after a minute of awkward silence between the three, staring down at the apples floating down river. “Don’t,” Mac said, and Applejack agreed quickly. “We’ll make do, and we wouldn’t want to cause you hardship over one little mistake.” “He’s right,” AppleJack admitted. “You’re part of the family now, after all.” “You really think that?” Dash asked, looking at Big Mac. “Eeyup, mistakes and all,” Big Mac agreed. /*/*End Flashback 2 */*/ /*/*Start Flashback 3*/*/ “I’m fine,” Rainbow Dash protested, spots covering her head, body and wings. She coughed, sneezed and then gasped as she tried to regain her breath. She was sleeping on the couch. It was January, and right in the middle of flu season. He and Big Mac had been dating nine months and now she had caught the feather flu. She felt disgusting and was sure she looked even worse. “Stay laying down, Rainbow” AppleJack said from the kitchen where she was making a vegetable soup to help Rainbow Dash through her bout of illness. “I don’t know why you didn’t get your vaccine this year, honestly.” “I’m allergic to one of the ingredients they use to make it,” Dash explained from her nest of blankets on the couch. “We understand, Dash,” Mac said, putting a cold washcloth over her head and handing her a box of tissues as she was about to sneeze. He had been by her side through the past few days of her being sick, as he couldn’t catch feather flu, and it meant more to Dash than she would ever admit to anyone. “I want my soooup,” Dash complained just as AppleJack was walking out of the kitchen with three bowls full of delicious-smelling soup. Rainbow Dash sat up eagerly as soon as she saw her, nearly knocking over a large pile of tissues right onto Big Mac. “Here it is, you lazy pile of feathers,” AppleJack said, placing the soup in front of Dash, who rearranged her blankets in order to get at the soup properly. Big Mac, ever the caring coltfriend, helped her get more comfortable and sat next to her, moving the tissues out of the way. “So you’re off of work for two whole weeks, huh?” AppleJack said, starting to eat her own soup and crackers. “At least something good comes out of this,” AppleJack offered, trying to be positive. “Its policy,” Rainbow Dash said with a yawn, leaning against Big Mac for support. “Otherwise one pony could get everypony sick,” Dash explained. “It’s awfully catchy. The doctors say I’ll be non-catchy in a week and a half.” She ended with a sneeze. “We’ll take good care of you, don’t worry,” Big Mac said, looking at AppleJack. Apple Bloom was out with the other crusaders at the moments and Granny Smith was out to lunch catching up with some other relatives that had come to visit Ponyville for the week, so it was just them. “Here you go, Dash,” Mac said, putting a pillow behind Dash so she could sit up better, and ignoring his own soup in favor of helping her. “What did I do to deserve such an amazing coltfriend?” Dash asked, leaning against Big Mac. “You’ll make it up to me,” Mac replied. /*/*End Flashback 3 */*/ Rainbow, looking down at how tired Mac was, knew in her heart she’d already forgiven him for being three weeks late, and she’d even forgiven him for barely writing these past few weeks. She flew down quickly and landed next to him. “Rainbow?” He asked, looking at her with tired eyes. “Hey Big Mac,” Rainbow said, putting her head under one of his forelegs in order to help him keep walking. He gave her a weary smile. “Sorry I’m late,” He said, and Rainbow’s heart melted. “You’d better make it up to me,” She quipped with a grin, letting him know that all was forgiven.