Chapter 8: Bidding Wars Part 3
Chapter 8: Bidding Wars Part 3
Silence laid over the crowd like a blanket as ponies watched Princess Luna fly off into the dark sky with her “prize” in tow. One of the Lunar Guards, the one Shock had headbutted, presented Mister Cake with a check for the agreed upon amount of bits.
Mister Cake slowly took the check from him, trying not to stare at the handkerchief hanging out of the guard’s nose. As the Royal Guard flew off, catching up with Princess Luna, Mister Cake brought the microphone close to his lips and cleared his throat.
“Well… uh… how about a round of applause to Princess Luna and her stallion!” Mister Cake said in a feeble attempt to bring the crowd out of their stupor. Only a few ponies clapped. Cake took in a deep breath and tried his best to keep moving forward with the auction. “Let’s welcome our next stallion to be whisked away by some lucky mare, Caramel!” Carrot shouted, extending his hoof toward stage right.
As the stage lights started to move across the stage, the crowd came to their senses, and started to applaud the next stallion to be auctioned off. A few mares whistled in excitement as the light shined down brightly on the stage waiting for the stallion to appear. Though no stallion ever appeared and after a moment the cheer and applauding started to die down ever so slowly till the last few claps died out.
Carrot Cake strained his eyes to look at the side of the stage stallions were supposed to enter from, but he saw nothing there. Keeping his smile, he called out again. “Caramel, there are lots of lovely mares ready to bid on you! So come on out!” The applause picked up again slightly, but once more no stallion walked on stage and it slowly faded away.
Cake’s eyes darted back and forth between the crowd and to the entrance. Finally, he snapped his head at the entrance. “Caramel!” he barked, causing more than a few mares, and some stallions, to jump. They had never heard the baker raise his voice.
From off stage a high-pitched yelp of surprise sounded out, before the sound of hooves scraping against the floor echoed out. In the silence the sounds of a muffled conversation could be head till a pair of red hooves firmly shoved Caramel on stage.
He staggered like a drunk being thrown out of a bar. Whipping around, he looked as though he was ready to run off stage, but he stopped before he had the chance to run as if something was blocking his path off stage. He looked around in a panic till his eyes settled on the crowd, his knees visibly shaking as he stood there. He swallowed a lump in his throat with an audible gulp, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. He glanced at Carrot, who was glaring at him as he tapped his hoof on the ground impatiently.
“You ready?” Carrot asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Caramel nodded his head in a jerky movement, his face set in a look of panic. Carrot shook his head at the stallion, before turning back to the crowd.
In the second that it took for Carrot Cake to turn to the crowd, his face had shifted from a look of annoyance to one of pure glee. The other expressions faded so fast it was as if they were never there. “Let's start the bidding of this fine stallion at four hundred bits! Do I hear four hundred?”
“Four hundred!” A mare called out, the spotlight making its way through the crowd to her.
“Four fifty!” Another called before the spotlight could land on the first. Soon the bids were flooding in with each mare desperate to win the date without breaking the bank.
As the bids came in, the look of total shock on Caramel’s face became more apparent as the lines in his face grew. He had never seen himself as a stallion that mares would want, more of a friend zone type of guy. Yet here he was, a stallion that mares wanted to go on a date with, and for a moment he felt like Big Mac.
The new surge of pride didn't just remain in his head, it spread through as he stood up straight and pushed his shoulders back. The confidence didn't go unnoticed by the big red stallion off stage who smiled at his friend, happy to see him looking ready to take on the world for once and not looking like a whipped puppy.
“One thousand three hundred! Do I hear four hundred? One thousand four hundred bits!” Carrot asked, looking over the crowd of bidding mares for the next bid.
“Right here!” A mare called out, reaching into the air with her hoof. “One thousand four hundred bits!” At the sound of the mare’s voice Caramel’s heart stopped. His eyes quickly darted across the crowd till they landed on a bright blue pegasus with a yellow mane, Sassaflash.
He had always had a, and still did, a crush on the pegasus. He had worked up the nerve to ask her out once on Heart’s and Hooves day a year or so ago. He didn’t think anything had come out of that date, but apparently it did.
“One thousand four hundred! Do I hear—”
“One thousand five hundred!” Came a overly energetic voice, one all of Ponyville knew too well. Pinkie Pie pronked and ponked in place as she looked up at Caramel, a huge smile plastered across her face, her bright blue eyes shimmering with excitement.
Caramel couldn't help but be surprised at the action. Pinkie had been a bit more of an acquaintance than anything else. Yet here she was, putting a large sum of bits on him.
“Uh… one thousand five hundred from Pinkie Pie… do I hear si—”
“Six hundred!” Sassaflash challenged, flapping her wings and hovering in the air.
“Six hundred from—”
“Eight hundred!” Pinkie cheered happily, not seeming to mind in the slightest about the amount of bits. She just continued to bounce in place, eyes closed and smiling widely.
Sassaflash glared over at Pinkie, biting her lower lip before looking down at her purse. After several seconds of looking through, she sighed and shrugged.
Carrot watched her for another moment before taking his mic up again. “One thousand eight hundred! Do I hear nine hundred? Going once… going twice… sol—”
“Two thousand!” Pinkie shouted out, causing many to look back at her in complete and utter confusion. Carrot’s mouth hung open as he stared at his niece.
“Pinkie… you have the winning bid. You don't need to bid any more,” Carrot said, trying to understand the compulsion that drove Pinkie to outbid herself.
“I know silly-willy! I just think he's worth two thousand!” Pinkie said in such a way, that one would have thought it was common sense. Carrot started to open his mouth again before shutting it, not wanting to argue the point.
“Alright then… two thousand bits! Going once… going twice… sold!” A scattered round of applause came up from the crowd as Pinkie bounced happily to claim her prize.
On the way however, she stopped by Sassaflash, and in the time it took to blink she had wrapped the pegasus in a bone crushing hug. The pegasus gave out a squeak of surprise as the air was forced from her lungs.
“I'm sorry Sassy!” Pinkie shouted, rubbing her cheek against the other's. “But I really wanted him! I hope we can stay friends! I would hate to lose a friend over this!” Sassaflash struggled for breath as Pinkie held her.
“It’s… it's okay… Pinkie,” the pegasus was able to choke out. As soon as the words left her lips, Pinkie let out a squeal of pure delight and squeezed her even tighter, audible pops coming from the poor mare’s spine.
“Goodie!” Pinkie exclaimed, dropping Sassaflash, who took in several deep breaths of air. “Besides!” Pinkie continued in a cheery voice. “I called dibs at the start!” And without another word Pinkie resumed bouncing towards the stage.
Caramel stood on stage in a shocked silence, not knowing what he was to do now. He turned to Carrot Cake, but he was already looking at the list with stallions on it. He then turned back to watch Pinkie arrive, but before he could, a pair of lips slammed against his cheek.
Caramel’s face went completely red at the contact. Pinkie pulled away an and began to bounce around him in a circle, chanting “I got him! I got him!”
Caramel watched her, his eyes bouncing up and down with her movements. He put on his best smile for her and began to speak. “Thank you for bidding on me Pinkie. I’ll make sure our date is a great—urk!”
Caramel was jerked involuntarily to the side as something around his neck pulled on him. Sometime between Pinkie kissing him on the cheek and bouncing around him she had placed a bright red collar around his neck, like the kind one puts on a dog, that was connected to an equally red leash that was now in Pinkie’s mouth.
“I goff himf! I goff himf!” She managed to chant, her voice muffled by the leash. Before Caramel could form a question to ask why, Pinkie tugged on the leash and bounced off stage, stallion in tow.
Carrot Cake watched the strange spectacle, along with the rest of Ponyville as Pinkie bounced off with Caramel in tow, turning blue in the cheeks. Carrot took in several deep breaths, giving his head a shake while he closed his eyes.
“Don’t question it. Just accept it and move on,” Cake mumbled to himself, rubbing a hoof against his temple, repeating the phrase over and over.
One would think he would have had a way to deal with the amount of oddness that followed Pinkie Pie. Even after living with her for many years, Carrot had yet to find a method that worked.
Taking in several deep breaths, Carrot Cake looked back up at the crowd with a wide smile. “Two more stallions to go this evening! So let's waste no time in bringing Time Turner on stage!” The crowd broke into cheers while the brown stallion walked out, or at least most of the crowd did.
Further to the back a group of mares, with four of the bachelors of the auction and a fifth being dragged over, waited for the last stallion of the night. Rainbow didn't have to turn around to feel the stares of her friends burying into the back of her head, the same question on their mind.
Would she bid on Big Mac?
Each event he had been in only made the question that much more difficult. He had been a stuttering mess when he first stepped on stage, to the point it was hard to watch; however, he had managed to rally himself and stood there looking ready to compete with the best of them. That act of turning himself around, and building up his own confidence, had risen the confidence within Rainbow that he was the stallion for her, one that could take on the world with her.
That confidence didn't last long as the talent section came up, and stage fright gripped him once more. Sure, he had looked impressive on stage, lifting that log with such ease as though anypony should have been able to do it. The look of pure terror in his eyes, however, had been off-putting to say the least. She wanted a stallion that could stare down monsters with a grin, that laughed in the face of danger.
Finally there was the swimsuit contest. What was Mac thinking when he came out with floaties? Now, while some mares might have found it cute to see him wearing such items on his large frame, she was of course immune to such things and didn’t let out a filly like squeal when she saw him up on stage with those on. She definitely didn’t feel her face turn extremely hot when she saw him drenched in the sudden downpour of water as he swung his head from side to side, his fur clinging to his frame showing off those large impressive muscles. Still, it was hard to get over how weak he looked, despite his physical ability, as he stood there on stage looking ready to die from sheer embarrassment.
Yet, despite all his shortcomings, the cringing failures, she was still drawn to him. Something about Big Mac just enthralled her, wanting her to know more about him. She had never felt this way about anypony before. It was more than simple lust or want she had felt for in other stallions, there was something beyond that, a feeling she couldn't even name. She wanted to know what that feeling was, and why Mac caused it in her.
While she processed everything she had witnessed that night and wondered what had drawn her to the big red stallion, Rainbow Dash had failed to notice a mare approaching her from behind, until she had sat down right next to her.
Rainbow looked up, and right into the bright green eyes of Applejack. One side of her lips was curled up in a small smirk, a smirk that Rainbow had seen many times in the past, a smirk of challenge. The two locked eyes for the briefest of seconds, daring the other to make the first move. Dash looked away first, distracting herself by scanning the crowd of excited ponies, some discussing upcoming stallions, others gossiping over the events that had happened.
“So,” Applejack drawled, her gaze never leaving Rainbow. “Big Mac’s coming up. Still thinkin’ on bidding on him?” The challenge in her voice was evident; even if there was no inflection in it, Rainbow could feel it.
“You know what, Applejack? I am going to bid on him, and I’m going to win him!” A fire was burning in Rainbow’s eyes as she spoke, letting her words sink in. “And we are going to go on a date, eat some fancy food, and at the end of it I am going to kiss him so hard that Granny Smith is going to feel it!”
A collective shudder ran through the mares, and the few stallions, gathered around as Rainbow’s cheeks turned slightly red.
“Uh… okay… maybe not that hard, but you catch my drift,” Rainbow mumbled, crossing her forelegs together, her magenta eyes constantly darting, not wanting to look at anypony in particular.
“Right…” Applejack muttered, pulling her hat over face to hide her deepening red cheeks. Rainbow’s outburst seemed to have the same effect on all those who had heard her, unable to look at her without their own cheeks turning a deep red.
“Well Rainbow, that might be a bit more difficult now.” Rainbow turned to face a very red in the face Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow was unsure if the bright red cheeks of the Princess of Friendship were due to what she had said, or how close Flash Sentry was to her; either way, Twilight’s cheeks looked hot enough to cook an egg on.
“And why’s that egg head?” Rainbow asked. Twilight gave a snort at the nickname, which only served to make Flash laugh slightly and Twilight’s face to grow hotter.
“Well, it seems that stallions have been going for much more than I had originally thought,” Twilight said, closing her eyes and trying to concentrate. “Caramel went for two thousand bits, so just imagine how much Big Mac is going to go for.” Rainbow’s eyes shrunk at that, she had only brought six hundred bits with her and even the lowest price of a stallion that night was more than she had.
Swallowing a lump in her throat, Rainbow looked into her saddlebag to see the bits she had brought with them, and compared to all the other bids of the night what she had was worse than pathetic. Her eyes then began to move across the crowd looking for whatever competition there might be left. Besides the mares that had been outbid by her friends there were still many more that had not placed a single bid all night and have been waiting patiently for the big red stallion like she had.
Then, as if on cue to just show how under prepared she was the loud voice of Carrot Cake cut through the air.
“Six thousand seven hundred! Do I hear eight hundred?”
“Eight hundred!”
“I have six thousand eight hundred! Anymore? Do I hear anymore on Time Turner? Going once… going twice—”
“Six thousand nine hundred!”
“I have nine hundred! Anypony willing to bid seven thousand? Seven thousand bits?”
“Seven thousand!”
“Seven thousand! Do I seven thousand one hundred? Going once… going twice… Sold!” Rainbow looked up in time to see a grey dart shoot out of the crowd and make its way to the stage. A wave of thunderous applause broke out as the grey blur made their way; but before it could fully reach the stage, it took a sharp turn and made a sudden nosedive, hitting the stage with a loud thud skidding the last few feet.
This didn’t seem to bother the mare at all. She jumped up on her hooves, a big and bright smile on her face as she held the bag of bits in her teeth. Time Turner had taken a step forward to help her up, but instead he returned the bright smile as she gave the bag of bits to Carrot Cake, before latching her forelegs around Time Turner’s neck with a storm of giggles.
“How was Derpy able to afford seven thousand bits?” Rarity asked, tilting her head as she watched the pair leave the stage, Derpy giggling helplessly as she clung to Time Turner. “I didn’t think being a mail mare paid that much!”
“It’s because she gave up muffins till the auction was over!” Chirped a high and very energetic voice. Heads whipped around to find none other that Dinky sitting a few feet away from them, a large smile spread across her face as she watched her mother and her stallion walking back over to them.
“Derpy went that long without muffins?” Applejack asked, eyes watching the couple’s movements. “Ah didn’t think it was possible fer her ta go an hour without one,” Dinky just giggled helplessly as she got to her hooves.
“Love makes you do strange things! Good luck, Auntie Dash!” Dinky said, before bouncing off to join up with her mother and her prize. As she left, the attention that went from Dinky focused on Rainbow Dash who didn’t seem the least be phased by what the filly had called her.
“Auntie Dash?” Applejack asked, to which Rainbow Dash merely shrugged.
“I watch the squirt sometimes. She called me that when she was little and it kind of stuck.” Rainbow didn’t want to go into any greater detail as she set her attention back on stage, where Carrot Cake was handing the bag of bits off to be counted.
She could feel her heart starting to pound faster, a bit of sweat forming upon her brow as the time drew near. In the next few moments she was going to have to figure out how she was going to afford Big Mac. He was the star of the show, and she doubted she had enough bits to bid on him and there was no way she could go drain her bank account now. With an audible gulp, all she could do now as wait for the starting bid, and pray that it was within her range.
Rainbow Dash was not the only one holding her breath, as many mares had been waiting for this moment since they had first heard about the auction. The opportunity to go out with the big red stallion was too good to pass up and many had been saving up their bits for this moment. As the crowd held a collective breath, Mister Cake cleared his throat once more and looked out over the audience.
“We are finally here, the last stallion to be auctioned off this evening!” He started, and was greeted by the roar of cheers and whistles for the final stallion. “We have seen many stallions won this evening, and they will be taking some lucky mares out in the near future. Now it is time for Ponyville’s number one stallion to be put on the block, and to take one very, very lucky mare out on a date! So without further ado, please welcome Big Macintosh Apple!” At those words, the stallion himself walked on stage, looking like he always did with large muscles on full display and his traditional yoke around his thick neck.
The crowd went into an utter frenzy as Mac walked onto stage, even after all his blunders he was still the dream stallion to many of the mares in the crowd. Mac took it in stride this time, as he walked out and kept himself poised and ready. He avoided eye contact with the crowd however, electing to stare at something beyond the crowd to keep himself collected as he chewed on the piece of straw in his mouth.
Amidst the storm of cheers and whistles, Mac stayed his stoic self for the crowd, even if in the back of his mind he was terrified like a colt on his first day of school he did not dare let that show now. He took it all like a strong oak in the midst of a storm and soldiered on.
“Alright, alright, calm down,” Carrot laughed, as he looked over the crowd with a broad smile. “Though you didn’t do too great in the judging rounds, there is no denying you are the apple of many mares’ eye around town,” Carrot’s smile grew wide as he looked around the ponies gathered. The crowd just stared back at him, waiting for the starting bid as his eyes darted around. “Get it? Apple of the eye? Like… when you tell somepony that they’re the…” Carrot Cake gave out a breath as the crowd cocked their heads in confusion. “Nevermind. The starting bid for Big Mac will be ten thousand bits,”
“Ten thousand bits?!” Rainbow shouted, getting to her hooves and glaring up on stage. “Who the buck has ten thousand bits to drop on Ma—”
“I have ten thousand bits! Do I hear more?” Carrot’s voice rang out as the ground around Rainbow Dash became brighter as a new heat ran over her. Looking up, she saw that one of the spot lights had fallen on her. Her eyes widened as she realized that by shouting the price, Carrot had marked her as a bid.
Her eyes darted around her, as ponies turned to stare at her. She saw the smirks on Rarity’s and Applejack’s faces when she whipped around, Spitifire’s cocked eyebrow as she smiled in amusement, and half a dozen glares of other ponies as she bidded on the stallion they all sought out. Her eyes finally came to rest on the stallion himself standing on stage and looking right at her. Big Mac had cocked his head to the side slightly his expression not changing one bit.
Rainbow felt like she was about to die then and there, as her crush was looking right at her. All she wanted to do now was find the closest hole and bury herself in it to avoid this embarrassment. Right as she thought about running and hiding she looked back at Mac one more time to see that he was smiling right at her. Not the fake one he had been using all night to be a good sport about it, but what looked like a genuine smile.
Is he… is he happy I bid on him? Rainbow’s mind raced, trying to figure out if the big stallion before her was interested in her. Well, he was a stallion and she was the most awesome mare in Equestria so he should have some attraction to her… right? Confidence started to swell within Rainbow’s chest as she stood up straighter at that very thought; Of course he is happy I bid on him! Any red-blooded stallion would be thrilled that I placed a bid on him! Satisfied, Dash sat back down... until another thought hit her. How in Tartarus am I going to pay for this?! Oh Celestia, let someone else bid on hi—
“I’ll give fifteen thousand on that fine stallion!” A rich voice, like that of honey, broke Rainbow’s concentration, and the heat of the spotlight flew from her and over the crowd towards another. Rainbow watched the light as it soared through the crowd to land on a light tan earth pony mare with a deep red mane, a pink bow around her neck.
“Ah didn’t know Cherry was comin’ fer this,” Applejack said, leaning away from Soarin and looking at her one time boss. “She has bits ta burn Rainbow, Ah doubt any mare is gettin’ Mac from her.”
Rainbow let out a sigh. Oh, good, somepony outbid me.
A few breaths.
Oh, crap, someone outbid me!
“Sixteen thousand!” Another voice called out, and the spotlight was flying through the crowd again, landing on a pegasus further back with a snow white mane and light blue fur. Rainbow felt her jaw drop open as she recognized another Wonderbolt.
“Oh? I was wondering where Fleetfoot had been hiding,” Spitfire said, her orange eyes fixed on another one of her subordinates. “She had been excited for this for quite some time, talking about a dashing stallion she had seen here once,” Rainbow felt the fur on her neck rise as Spitfire spoke, there was another pony bidding on Big Mac who had more bits than she did!
“Twenty thousand!” Another voice called out, and as always the spotlight flew through the crowd till resting on a green earth pony with a long blue mane. Rainbow just stared at the other mare, cocking her head to one side as she did so.
“Who’s that?” Rainbow pointed her hoof at the strange mare, the spotlight still on her.
“Oh! That’s Tealove!” Twilight said, her eyes sparkling in recognition. “She makes some of the most fantastic teas! Celestia and Luna buy from her all the time!” Rainbow just let out a low growl as she fell onto her stomach rubbing her temple with the tip of her hooves; her eyes firmly shut.
“Great! That is just bucking great! A Wonderbolt, the richest pony in Dodge Junction, and somepony I don’t even know who sells tea to royalty are all after Mac, and I only have six hundred bits!” Rainbow spat, growling in further frustration. She didn’t think so many ponies were going to show up, or that ponies had saved up so many bits for this!
As she opened one eye, she watched as the spotlights were having trouble keeping up with the bids as each one of the mares kept calling out higher bids. Each amount more staggering than before. At the rate they were going at, they could have bought Ponyville with what they were bidding.
Looking back to the stage, Mac seemed to be having just as hard of a time following the bids as the ponies on the spotlight did. Though what she really noticed was that his smile was gone. That wasn’t true, he was still smiling, but it was off. Not the easy smile he had when they had locked eyes a moment ago. It wasn’t natural.
Rainbow’s eyes went wide as she noticed it, that what she had seen on him when she bidded was a true genuine smile and not this fake one. Yes! He wants me to win him! She cheered in her mind, getting back to her hooves, her wings spread out ready to take to the sky again and listened for the bids.
“Thirty-five thousand bits!”
“Thirty-six!”
“Thirty-seven!”
Rainbow’s wings deflated like balloons as her jaw fell open. She didn't have that kind of money just laying around, not unless she wanted to take out a giant loan from the bank! Watching the spotlight flying across the crowd of ponies, she needed to find a ton of bits and fast! There had to be someway to get those bits now!
“So, I take it you quite like the stallion on stage?” Rainbow nearly jumped out of her skin as she heard the voice. She wiped her head around to find Spitfire standing right next to her. The Captain of the Wonderbolts was not looking at her, however, instead her golden orbs were locked onto Big Mac like those of a predator. Without giving Rainbow any indication that she had seen her turn to face her, Spitfire began to speak again in a hush tone.
“He is quite the looker. Big, strong, and had that rugged country charm! And the way he holds that wheat in his mouth,” Rainbow watched a visible shudder pass through Spitfire as she described Big Mac. Spitfire then gave her head a hard shake and turned to Rainbow Dash. “Sorry, you might say I have a… taste… for country stallions,” she laughed, as she looked back at her own stallion for the night, and then back at Applejack and Soarin. “It must be a Wonderbolts thing,” she mused, before turning back to Rainbow.
Rainbow had to repress her own shudder, not needing to know that much about the Captain of the Wonderbolts. Yes, she was a huge fan of the Wonderbolts in every way and loved to learn more about them. But this bit of information, just about the more, private, matters of Spitfire she didn’t need to know.
“I’ll take your word on that,” Rainbow replied, trying not to make eye contact with Spitfire. The fire maned pegasus didn’t take notice, as she looked back to Big Mac on stage.
“I was considering bidding on him as well, but I will not need him anymore after my bonus prize tonight.” Rainbow had to suppress another shudder, her eyes darting back to Fluttershy who was sitting next to Braeburn still. “So, since I am in such a good mood and knowing that you don’t go back on your word, how about I give you a loan tonight?” Rainbow’s head whipped back to Spitfire so fast, one might have sworn she got whiplash from it.
“You…. You’re serious?” Rainbow squeaked, her scratchy voice betraying her at such a crucial moment.
“Of course I am!” Spitfire barked, making Rainbow flinch back as she did. “I already won my prize, now go get your mane done, shine your hooves, and win you some beefcake!"
Rainbow snapped to attention at once, and saluted Spitfire at once. “Yes, Ma’am!” Rainbow replied back, before turning her attention back to the bidding war.
Glancing over the crowd she saw that the spotlight was now fixated on Cherry Jubilee, her head tilted up and a smile of victory spread across her lips. Scanning around she saw that Fleetfoot had landed herself and Tealove hung her head down low. She had taken out both mares, and was waiting to claim her prize.
“Forty five thousand bits! Do I hear more?” Cake’s voice rang out, as he looked over the crowd. As he did, Rainbow’s attention was fixated on Mac again and she could see visible sweat running down his face as he looked at Cherry, leaning away from the mare that would claim him.
Lowering her stance, Rainbow got down in ready position for a race as though this was just another day at the track for her. She had her goal, and the means to get it now. All she had left to do was make sure everypony knew she was getting that stallion tonight!
“Going once!” Rainbow lowered herself a bit more, “Going twice!” Her wings gave a flutter of excitement as she narrowed her eyes on Mac. “Sol—”
“Fifty thousand bits!” Rainbow shouted, soaring high into the sky. Everypony in the crowd turned at once to look at her, as the spotlights traced the sky looking for her till three of them landed right on her. “That’s right! Fifty thousand bits for Big Mac!” She proclaimed, crossing her forelegs and staring down at Cherry. “Got anything to top that?”
Cherry just stared up at Rainbow Dash, eyes wide as she tried to say something, her mouth opening and shutting several times before she turned away from Rainbow Dash, glaring at the ground before her. Rainbow Dash just smiled in triumph as she looked back down at the stage. Both Carrot Cake and Big Mac shared a look of shock, neither one of them seeming to believe what they were seeing.
Then Mac’s expression started to change, morphing from one of shock till he was smiling up at her with that real, genuine smile of his. That smile made her heart skip a beat as she became thankful that no one could get a clear look at her face. She then turned her attention away from Mac, as painful as that was, and down at Carrot.
“You going to count down or what?” Carrot Cake spluttered slightly as Rainbow talked down at him. Giving his head a shake he started to clear his throat.
“Ri… right. Uh…” he swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked back over the crowd again. “Fifty thousand bits… do I hear…” he looked back up at Rainbow Dash and then back to Big Mac. “Eh, screw it. Going once! Going Twice! Sold!”
No sooner than that magical word left Carrot’s throat did Rainbow Dash go into a dive bomb, aimed at the big red stallion on stage. Mac didn’t even notice what she was up to till it was too late, and barely made it to his own hooves when Rainbow crashed into his chest, sending the pair into a backwards tumble ending with Mac on his back and Rainbow Dash on top.
“That’s right! I won! This stallion is mine!” Rainbow proclaimed, looking back at the crowd. “Deal with it!”
For a few brief moments, not a sound could be heard from the crowd as they all stared at Rainbow Dash standing on top of Big Mac claiming him for her own. Rainbow just stood on top of the stallion breathing hard enough that her chest was heaving up and down as she stood there. Then out in the crowd, a high pitch whistle broke the silence, and the crowd erupted into its loudest applause that night. Whistles and cheers broke out, and a few fireworks were shot off into the air to celebrate the end of the auction with the top stallion being won.
Rainbow just soaked it all in, letting the thrill of it all wash over her like she had just placed first in the greatest race in Equestrian history. In many ways she had, and she was not willing to part with her prize till everypony there knew that Mac was her prize to take home! Though reality had to get in the way at one of her greatest achievements.
“Miss Dash, I assume you do have fifty thousand bits to pay for him, yes?” Rainbow turned to face the source of the voice to see Carrot Cake standing a foot or two away. Though his eyes were down at Big Mac. Rainbow turned her attention to the stallion, to see him just laying there as though there was nothing wrong in the world, just looking up at her with a grin.
Rainbow had to keep herself from squealing out in delight at Mac’s face, because cool ponies don’t squeal! “I sure do!” Rainbow said, looking around. “Uh… at least I should.” Carrot cocked an eyebrow at her.
“You should? Miss Dash, we need either bits at hand or a check. Otherwise I will have to give the win to Cher—”
“That won’t be necessary,” all three ponies on stage looked up to find Spitfire landing on stage with nothing short of perfect grace. Between two of her wings was a blue check sighed and ready to go. “This should cover it all,” she said, handing the check to Carrot Cake before looking back at Rainbow Dash. “At least get a room first. I won’t bail you out of jail,” Spitfire said as she turned around to take off. “Speaking of getting a room…” Spitfire didn’t say anything after that as she took to the sky and heading right back to her own prize.
Rainbow couldn't help but shudder, not sure if she should feel sorry for Braeburn and Fluttershy. On one hoof, it was going to be a night to remember, but on the other she had no idea what they were going to be remembering. The mental images that came with that thought made her consider getting a therapist to help her with the trauma attached to them.
“While Ah know ya won me Miss Dash, and Ah am supposed ta do what ya say,” Rainbow’s face instantly heated up as she realized that she was still on top of Big mac and all of Ponyville could see her there. “But could ya kindly let me up? Not sayin’ lookin’ up at yeah ain’t a great view, but Ah would like ta get up.”
“Yeah, no problems Mac!” She said, doing her best to hide her face from the large stallion as she slowly got off of him. Mac rolled onto his chest before rising up again, his large body towering over Rainbow Dash’s. While she would normally take to the air, to make sure she could look anypony in the face and show them that she did not fear them, she didn’t mind one bit looking up at Mac.
He gave a light shake, before sitting down next to her with an easy grin. “Thank ya kindly fer bidding on me Miss Dash. When would you like ta go on our date, and what would ya like ta do?” Mac’s deep and accented voice made fireworks go off in Dash’s mind and she had to keep herself from trotting in place. She just beamed up at him as he waited for her.
“I have no idea!” She laughed, as she gave a flap of her wings and flew next to him. Mac blinked a few times, cocking his head to the side like a dog trying to learn a new word. “Wasn’t even sure I was going to get you! But I’ll think of something!” She laughed, jabbing him on the shoulder. “Now come on! I want to show you off!”
As Mac and Rainbow Dash left the stage, Carrot Cake just shook his head as he looked over the crowd one more time.
“That’s all everypony! Now for you lucky mares who won tonight, please enjoy your prize!”
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Go Spitfire. That was awesome
Hmmm. 50000 bits. Given the size of the bit and assuming that it is gold, adulterated gold certainly but for the sake of argument let us say it is pure, i'd say it weighs around 100 grams. Now, the current gold price per 100 grams of gold is roughly $4400 dollars. This means that were Rainbow Dash on earth she would have just spent around $220000000 on a horse, 3 times more than has ever been spent on any race horse in the whole history of humanity. Rainbow certainly knows how to splash cash.
Jesus Christ I feel so good right now !!!!!I love this story so much
7141424 Yeah, but remember, depending on how much gold they have access to, the number changes. Remember the Gilded age?? That was a time in our history where gold was so cheap, people literally used it on just about everything they could. If gold is prominent that it is the basic currency in Equestria, then chances are that gold is worth about 1 to 2 US dollars, and at most, worth about 2 euros.
7141497
7141424
I tried to figure this out a long time ago and I have no idea. The way I see it a bit is equal to one US dollar or something. But I did like reading both of your posts! Learned something new today!
Pretty good way of getting over the whole, I only have 600 bits thing. But I woulda thought AJ would chip in to save her brother or something, wasn't she the one pressuring her friends to bid on him earlier? She, technically, hadn't spent anything!
Ah well, I'll take Spitfire. She seems like the kinda pony with a disposable income. Though Rainbow's intial, accidental bid was pretty funny.
Also, yeah, even if she went without muffins, where did Derpy get 7,000 bits from?! Unless the disable living allowance is REALLY good in Equestria! And did she serious spend thousands of bits on muffins?! No wonder she broke a hole on Town Hall by sitting on it!
Ah well, all in all a nice conclusion to the bids. I assume the next chapter will be a montage of dates, or just Mac and Dash's. Can't wait for that insanity!
Keep on keepin' on, Cap!
Why doesn't the cover art have the two new ponies that you might be able to recognize?
7141593 You mean Tweak and Shock? Mostly because I commissioned the pic too early and didn't have enough money to get them added.
You can find them here
So, Rainbow Dash got the top prize of the night with a little help from Spitfire. I just hope Fleetfoot and the other mares who bid on Big Macintosh don't try to sabotage Rainbow Dash's date, just because they want Big Mac all to themselves.
What no Cheerilee betting on Mac? Even if they don't pay school teachers all that much you'd think she'd at least try...
What? I like that ship.
How about Marble pie?
7141792 Cheerliee got bulk in the first part of bidding wars. Marble was not around when I started that. Don't like like that ship.
7141804
Why should Cheerilee think small, Bulk and Mac!
Just set up mud wrestling and they'd pay back her bid in a few hours.
thanks for the update!!
Dash is gonna be paying off that debt for a looooong time
Two paragraphs in, and I'm already crazy annoyed. Part of the cause is probably my lingering memories of callousness, heedless cock-blocking, and sometimes violence being passed off as humor. But mostly it's the fact that this chapter picks up as if the previous chapter were only updated a week ago—at most—while I'm expected to remember exactly what Luna did, who she's with, and what the fuck the deal is with a handkerchief in some random character's nose. None of it even has any effect on what happens next, so why remind a reader of something they have no chance of remembering? sigh...
Hopefully that final chapter will handle Cloudkicker's reparations. And an x-years-later epilogue where Spike gets to experience the kind of saucy adult fun that Spitfire and Luna's prizes did would certainly be welcome.
Hmmm the bids are done, so now it is time for MATH!
Braeburn: 2000
Spike: 200
Soarin: 50000
Bulk Biceps: 3000
Blue Blood 10000
Thunderlane: 8000
Tweak: 1000
Flash Sentry: 26000
Shock n' Awe: 700
Caramel: 2000
Time Turner: 7000
Big Mac: 50000
Total: 159900 Bits
Spend it wisely Mayor Mare, just because the IRS isn't watching doesn't mean others aren't...
7141424 50,000 bits, going on your assumptions, would weigh in at just over 11,000 pounds. Check, the 600 bits RD had on hoof would weigh 132 pounds.
A mostly enjoyable story, save for the treatment of Spike. Thank you for sharing it with us, looking forward to more.
7142305 without wishing to be rude, why are you reading this fic? You really seem to loathe it.
7143245
Well, they're rather large coins, and given that the most common thing to adulterate coins containing gold with is lead, which is even heavier than gold, and given that 100 grams of gold is the size seen below, you can see why poor Lackey's back was straining so hard.
i.ytimg.com/vi/kCkBUMFgEK8/maxresdefault.jpg
Nice
Though I bet Dash has the bits, she only brought a few with her
7143423 I imagine that the coins are actually thinner than they appear in the show, to allow for easier carry. Also, they are more likely made of a lighter metal, with a thin plating over them to give them the look of gold coins. Lastly, they most likely have different denominations of coins, much like how we have different denomination bills.
The economy may be gold based, but I would imagine that the coins represent a base amount of gold, held within the Royal Treasury, like most nations used to do here on Earth.
7143749
I don't know about that, the British Sovereign was solid gold, and the pound was solid silver before 1922. I imagine they're very similar to the sovereign actually, which had a radius about the same as that of a 50p piece, and as for denominations, downwards maybe, but i'm not sure about upwards.
7141424
On the other hand, it should be a fair price for a talking horse.
7143370 Jake's a Spike fan, Spike was handled well for the age he's currently at, and there is some entertainment to be had despite how despicable Soarin and Shining Armor are. There was also fun to be had in Tenchi in Tokyo in spite of how horrible the girls were to Tenchi's father.
And without trying to sound rude, if you'd read my comment, you'd see that my biggest problem was only for this chapter...unless I made the same complaint several chapters ago, but were that the case, how could I possibly remember?
7144751 Not rude at all, I did read your comment, hence my asking. You seemed to really hate the chapter, so why are you devoting attention to it? Surely well written Spike-fics aren't that hard to come by? I admit they may be thinner on the ground than others, but they still exist.
Heh. Wow.
Well, I did sorta think a bigger twist than that might be in store...but then with the price raise in the last few chapters I guess I should've expected something like this.
Either way, Dash got him, and I assume the next chapter will cover the date? Can't wait to see what they have planned! Seems like Dash and Mac have some chemistry...
As always, excellent writing! This story keeps surprising us. Keep writing!
I'm just wondering how many mares are going to walk away with a foal from all of this?
Well, isn't that lovely?
No, it's really not.
To spend so much on an individual is tantamount to financial suicide.
However, this is supposed to be a happy resolution for the protagonists, so I digress and substitute it with 'Yay'.
Nice chapter. Keep up the good work.
One more! One more! One more! Rainbow needs to understand the dangers of interest tax!
I'm surprised nobody commented on my previous post
For some reason i see this scene playing in my head
: WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT GOING?!
: I just realized that the rules state that have to go on a date with the winner you won me and you gave me away. So I can choose whether or not I want to go and I don't want to. So I'll spend that day at home!
7147053
My guess at least one
7666467 Let us hope!
7666596
And it most likely going to be Spitfire
7662257
No, my avatar is Godzilla because on the awesome chart, Godzilla represents the penultimate form of what is awesome.
Also, I really like Godzilla, and the only real story I've posted on this site is a Godzilla story, so it just fits.
Thanks for asking though..
I really would like to see the conclusion of this fic. So far, it's proven to be one of my favorites. Please, let the final chapter be finished soon!
OMG
?????☺️???????????☺️???????
This story is hilarious and sweet at the same time. I LOVE IT! favorite part was Soarin going on the quickest date in history (reminds me of myself).
While the story is nice, I really hate your ships especially
x
and
x braeburn as in the only ship I like here is 
x
And lost any interest as soon as brabetn is gay. Gah I hate that once sorry just no !
8530665
Who is Brabetn?
Where is next chapter? I NEEEEEED THIS!!!!
I remember the good ole’ days when this was featured.
I hope we get to see this finished one day. I can see this getting featured again.
Been a while since you've posted anything. You doing ok?
Hm. Marked as incomplete, but I figure it ended well here.
I’m considering it done.
It was great!
Fantastic work! And I know it's been years but I just really, really want to see the epilogue. Please?
9963061
Jake actually messaged me about that last night. I'm dusting it off and will be working on it again soon