Second Place

by Pecan Pallet

Ch.0 a warm place

ch. 0 A warm place

"I h-have to w-win. I-I-I just-t need-d to w-win!" the quivering Pegasus mutters as Big Macintosh laid a warm, wool blanket on her. The fire's passion welcomed the cold mare, the wool really trapping the pulsating heat.

"Thi-is is Th-the only way t-to--Hachoo!" the mare sneezes, her germs visibly spraying through the air. She sniffs as Big Mac pats her back.

"Eeyup." he says, setting a box of tissue next to her before leaving the room. The Mare grips the blanket and pulls it closer. A lock of her blue mane falls in front of her eyes, still wet and cold. She pushes it aside with a hoof, only to have it fall back. She was leaning on a stool as she lade there, watching the fire. The fire pops, sending small ashes drifting about. The fire, though wild and strong, was contained safely in the Apple family fireplace. Her damp gear was lying near the fireplace, spread out to dry. Her Velcro boots and Bell boots where quite dry compared to the navy blue Scarf that seemed to form a puddle on the small round carpet. Picture frames were spotted around the small living room, the ones above the fireplace catching her eye. Wooded frames housed frozen memories of Macintosh and his family, the still life sending an aura of warmth to anypony whose gaze reached them. Even in such a warm setting, she still felt... Sad, in some way.

"...Hachoo!"

The cup clicks as Big Mac sets it on the floor, sliding it carefully to the mare. Steam rises up from the cup, her nostrils filling with the sugary sent. Three white orbs of goo flout around in the chocolaty mixture, the swirls of brown and white attracted her attention.

"Hot coco, drink it." Big Mac said, setting four cups for himself.

"Oh, th-thanks..." she murmurs, staring at the drifting white puffs. She brings it close to her snout, the heat radiating like the fire. She takes a taster sip, it was good, but stung her tongue a little. It wasn't as sweet as Pinkiepie's, but it warmed her up as the warm fluid traveled down her throat. She plays with a white orb, now melted, on her tongue. The substance made her lips sticky, licking them for the sweet taste. She looks back at Big Mac, knowing he was trying to persuade her to stay inside. It would have worked, but her passion to beat Rainbowdash was greater than staying comfortable and warm. "... But I don't need to s-stay here."

With a sigh, "Eyup." he takes a seat near the fire and lays there with the cups next to him, pretending not to care about her. Big Macintosh was a big stallion, not fat, but muscular. Though never saying much, he was literally the strongest stallion in ponyville. Being big and brawny, he could probably get any mare he wanted, but he seems to know better than to go out with just anypony. Lightning Bolt would have liked Big Mac, too, but she has different views on this "Relationship" topic. One thing she does like, though, was his freckles. They made him look cute with his red coat and green eyes.

"Hay, I mean it. I-I can't be lazing around--Hachoo!" with another sneeze, she finally uses the tissue box.

Macintosh looks at her with a neutral glare, "Crashing into ah frozen lake tells me otherwise." he grabs one of the cups with his jaw and drinks it with a single gulp.

"I crashed, ok!" she shivers at the memory of drilling through a layer of ice and diving into freezing water. Even the part when she was stuck under the ice still chilled her now. She normally wouldn’t be able to break through a foot of ice, but she was trying out a new trick called the “Lightning clap.” The trick was meant to mimic RD’s sonic rain boom so she could surpass her. Well, she miss fired. Good thing Big Mac just so happened to be there or that place could have been her grave, a 12 inch grave. Here lies a no pony.

"I was per-perfecting my "Lightning Clap." I'll never reach Rainbowdash's speed unless I practice."

"Just drink the coco." he said, downing another cup.

"Don't ignore me!" she responded, taking another gulp from her cup. Her wings send a sharp pain in her spine, cringing at the headache feeling.

Big Mac shook his head, "Not in your condition..."

"Don’t tell me what I-I can't do."

"But biting off more than you can chew is just what I'm afraid of."

"I-it's nothing, I can do anything..."

"Eyup."

"Shut up."

Big Mac sighs at her stubbornness, she's like his sister. "Lightning Bolt," he said, "Think logical. RD and my sister are in Canterlot, do’en that play thing-ma-jig. They won't be back for a while."

"That's why I must---" she pauses as another sneeze creeps up. She sneezes into the blanket, "all the more reason to do it."

"... Fine... Try ta leave, see how far ya get."

Seeing this as a challenge, as most pegasi would, she jumps to her hoofs, the wool blanket falling onto a stool nearby. "Ok, fine! Try to-to stop me! Hit me with your best shot!"

Macintosh looks away, "Already have." the Mare tries to make a leap, her hoofs stumbling on the rung. She couldn't move, or when she did, she couldn't stand straight. She tried to dash for him, but her hoofs where unresponsive, like it was three hundred pounds. Her eye sight began to fussy up, her balance completely haywire as her flank bumped a lamp. What could be the meaning of this? Wait, this feels like...

She curses as she falls to one hoof. "What did you put in that drink?"

"Sorry, Lightning," Macintosh confesses, "I knew ya won't listen, so I had to."

"You... Jack..." she tries desperately get up, her body feeling drowsy and numb. "You Suck... Balls." and just like that, she falls over, knocking over the stool and letting the blanket fall onto her drugged body.
~~~
Big Mac sighs and drinks his third cup, "Your welcome." the Mare was out cold, her breath slowing and showing a light snore. He sighs again, not at her but the whole situation of things. "What am I going to do with ya." he says to himself. That stubborn plot is going to be chasing Rainbowdash all her life. He glances over at his passed out friend, her white coat glowed in the fire. She moans and curls up with the blanket, she still looked cold.

Big Mac rests his head on his forehoofs, starring into the dancing fire. His mind combing out his thoughts, "Lightning Bolt... Rainbowdash's shadow." he whispers into the quiet home. His eye began to droop, the ware of the day weighing thick on his body. Feeling as if he was alone, he closed his eye to let sleep take over.

Clop

A hoof step. Even when he was half asleep, he could recognize the small, light tread. "Applebloom..." silence...

"Applebloom." Lifting his head, he turns over to the stairs, the little filly squeaking as their eyes meet.

"What are you doing up, it's late."

"But I’m not tired..." the filly stops as Macintosh motioned her to come close. She was cautious at first, but the site of a sleeping Lightning Bolt and hot coco calmed her nerves. Besides, Macintosh wasn't as strict as her older sister. Stepping off the stairs, she places her plot next to Big Mac, his coat feeling nice and warm from the fire.

As Applebloom cuddles into her brother’s coat, she reaches for his last cup. The small filly lies quietly on the stallion, her small frame looking so small next to him. They don't say anything at first, either feeling awkward or just too sleepy to talk. The fire was beginning to fade to ashes, the room growing darker and darker with time. The faint, burgundy tattoos on the wood glow vibrantly in to flames. It was late in the night and the big stallion really wanted to call it a day. Just when he thought he was about to fall asleep, his small sister pops a question.

"umm, Big Mac...I have a question." she look into the mug, the marshmallows could no longer be identified. "Umm, why do ya talk to Lightning Bolt so much, big brother?" he groans from weariness, but he replies.

"Why ya ask?"

"I don't know. It's just y'all only talk when nopony's around." she goes silent, taking the most smallest of sips. Macintosh's mind takes a step back; the stallion kind of surprised how much the filly was paying attention to him. Most ponies don’t.

"umm, well, it's nothin' you should be worrying about." he said, trying to evade the topic. Applebloom licks her lips and drinks down half the cup. Only to pause with another question.

"But what about RainbowDash? Miss Lightning Bolts always talk'en about her, is she jealous or some'um?"

"What? Wait, how did ya-"

"No offense, big bro," she cuts in, setting the cup down. "But for a quiet pony, you’re a loud mouth."

Macintosh, slightly dumbfounded, was stumped but her comment. He never really considered himself a loud mouth... Lightning is more of a loud mouth than he was. I wonder if Applebloom is being nosy, or just being innocently curious. But then again, AppleBloom's always curious about everything. How long was the filly spying on him? It must have been for a while if she heard about Rainbow. Well, she did figure out one thing. Lightning Bolt was indeed, envious of Rainbowdash. According to what Lightning told Big Mac, the rivalry started all the way back to when they were just fillies.

Lightning Bolt and Rainbowdash both attended flight school together. Before, Lightning Bolt was the fastest flyer in her grade; it was only until RD discovered her cutie mark did thing start heading down hill. Rainbowdash soon replaced Lightning Bolt as the fastest flyer. Popularity arose for cyan Pegasus, sending her to new heights. Rainbowdash was becoming widely known throughout Equestria, and with her new installment of "the element of loyalty" she becomes a star Pegasus. No matter how many times she tried, RD was always there, ready steel the blue ribbon. No matter what Lightning did, Rainbowdash would always be a few feet ahead. According to records, Lightning has never won a single blue ribbon due to Rainbow. No matter what she did, she always ended up in second place.

There was also something else about Lightningbolt's dilemma, but the stallion wasn't going to explain "Fillyfooling" to his sister. He looks at the filly, not sure if he should say something. She was already done with the cup by then, waiting patiently for a response.

"Ummm, ya don't wanta know."

"what? Ya I do! I want to know now!" she shouts. Macintosh tries to hush her, but she kept at it. "I won't till you tell me!"

Why does she have to be so rebellious? Big Mac thinks to himself, rubbing his temple. I bet she gets it off of Sweetiebell or Scootaloo…... most likely Scootaloo. Sounds of slurping cut his train of thought, looking up to find Applebloom sipping out of another cup. At first glance, he thought of it as nothing, but with his fourth, empty cup sitting in front of her...

"Applebloom, where did you get that?"

"Oh, Miss Lightning didn't finish her cup. So I’m gonna drink it for her!" she takes a deep gulp.

"b-but-"

"No worries, I can drink the whole thing. Applejack told me never to waste food, so I'm doin' just that!"

He sighs, letting his head fall onto his hoofs. Saved by the coco... Just hope she wakes up. Macintosh did use a powerful drug...

"See, an't I a good pony?" she said, the last drop leaving the cup.

"Eeyup...."

~~~~

just to tell you, I don't know when I will be able to make the next ch. just be really patient, ok! Hope you’re interested and will follow.

Comments

[Municipal Engines]

It's a good premise; has potential, but it definitely needs an editor. Also, what the hell's up with the centring of everything?

Thumb up anyway; as I said, it has potential.

PS: It switches between past and present tense, which is pretty sloppy.

[Little_Draco]

What the guy above me said, needs editor but it has potential and to follow up with something good and well done should be viewed by many people.

[Gruekiller]

I have to echo the slight misgivings of the last two posters, but I agree, this looks pretty good. I'll be tracking.

[Paladin Redflare]

TO HELL WITH OCS' AHGHRHGH

[WonderDash]

Editor WANTED!

[LunarGuardian]

nice story. in a couple places it said blot instead of bolt just so you know. following.

[Deathpony]

want next chapter

[RobbyTheRogue]

I like this, also would like to see some interaction between Dash and Macintosh. might make for some drama if Blot should make assumptions. Might even be better storytelling if it might not be all wrong of her to assume. Would make the tension last longer then 1 chapter I suppose.