Chapter 43 - With our fists!
“ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE! LET’S BEGIN THE FIST FIGHTING TOURNAMENT! IN THE TABLE OVER THERE YOU’LL SEE SOME HEAD GEAR AND GLOVES FOR THE OCASSION! LOOK FOR THE ONE WHO FITS YOU THE MOST! SINCE THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT PARTICIPANTS, THERE IS EQUIPMENT FOR EVERYONE!”
“I’m glad I didn’t participate in the competition, then!” Said Gily. “Using protection makes things boring.”
“At least it secures me a victory against those guys! Besides, if I manage to win! I will have the Golden Cider!”
We went straight to the table to retrieve my gear. Flash, Trenderhoof and other participants who looked like worthless contenders were there.
“Barrow Mint, you don’t know how to fight.”
“Shut up, Goody Straw! Do you really think I’m gonna lose!?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck you! You’ll see! I’ll impress that dumpling girl!”
Idiot…
“Nitpick! How nice to see you around here!”
“Trenderhoof, you aren’t the fighter type! Why are you in this event?”
“Because behind the risk, there is a prize I must win!”
“I know that the Golden Apple Cider is the shit, but you suck at fighting! You are going to get hurt!”
“Not that prize! I mean the greater prize!”
Didn’t you hear what I said about the danger of you getting hurt?
“What prize then?”
“HER! Isn’t she supreme!?”
He pointed his finger at the direction of-
“Applejack?”
“YES! When I saw her sublime athletics and grace during the Friendship Games, I fell in love at first sight! If I can manage to win this tournament of men and bravery, I may have a chance to win her heart!”
“Good luck…”
Dumbass, they’ll kill you before you ever have a chance to impress her. And if you fare against me, I’ll fucking crush you in the name of my cider!
“Thanks! To you as well!”
At least he is motivated for something that isn’t fashion. I thought he liked to swing in the wrong direction.
“Nitpick! How funny to see you in the tournament!”
“That’s actually my quote, Flash! Why are you participating?”
“To impress Twilight!”
ARE YOU SERIOUS!?
“Does everybody here are participating to impress a girl instead of winning the cider!?”
“Yes!” Said my opponents with dead pan expressions.
So stupid! I have learned my lesson that doing outrageous stuff doesn’t impress a girl that easy! If you are worthless for her, then you are screwed with her!
“It seems that all of them are idiots, Nit!” Whispered Gily in my ear.
“I know… hopeless people!”
“Forget about them! Here, let me help you putting these!”
Gily made sure that I was using the equipment the right way! She adjusted the globes, firmly positioned my head protector and explained to me how to use the mouthpiece efficiently. She reminded me of some moves I used to know in the academy to give me an edge. To say that I was a competent fighter would be so vain of me because I was decent at best. I don’t think it will be necessary to use her moves with this kind of people but I won’t take risks if I’m in a pinch.
“All set! Good luck, my friend!” Said Gily while taking care of my coat and hat. Now she was the sheriff of the two of us.
“Thanks, my friend!”
And we made a Bro-Fist once again.
Applejack told the rules to everybody through the megaphone. You could win with a knock out or through points. Since there was going to be an evening event at eight, they decided to make just three rounds matches to speed things up.
The tournament finally started and the first fight was over fast! Flash won with a quick jab against Random Dude Number One and advanced in position. The second fight was between Random Dude Number Two and Three! Both of them made a double cross counter! Number two won and advanced in position while Number Three was left cold in the ground. The guy Barrow Mint won against Random Dude Number Four, and like Flash, he won with a quick jab. And now it was my turn against Trenderhoof.
“IN THE BLUE CORNER! ONE OF THE BEST FASHION CRITICS OF CRYSTAL PREP, TRENDERHOOF!”
All of my old schoolmates cheered for him. Except for Gily who was playing as my Cornerman! Besides, she thinks he is a wimp and she dislikes most wimps.
“Nit…”
“I know! No mercy!”
“Go for the nose!”
And she patted my shoulders and I went straight to the center of the corral ring.
“IN THE RED CORNER! ONE OF THE NEWEST STUDENTS OF CHS! HE LIKES FIZZY APPLE CIDER AND IS ONE OF THE HONEST FELLOWS I HAVE MET EVEN IF HE CAN BE STUBBORN AND BAD MOUTHED AT TIMES! MEET NITPICK BITTERSWEET!”
Why my introduction was the longest of the eight?
“NOW! READY!”
“Good luck, Trenderhoof!”
“SET!”
“Thank you, Nitpick! You are still the Champion of the lower class even if you aren’t in Crystal Prep anymore!”
Your honest praise will make the obvious outcome taste like crap for me now.
“GO!”
‘Slam’
And he fell to the floor.
“THE WINNER IS NITPICK BITTERSWEET! YEE HAW!”
“WOHOO! YOU WON, NITPICK!”
Twilight, you are embarrassing me! And I didn't think you liked this kind of stuff.
People cheered for this slaughter… I decided to help and bring him to where Indigo Zap and the rest were.
“Oh! Now that’s a good fellow there!”
“Yeah!”
“Whooo!”
Why all of you are cheering me for this!? I couldn’t leave him lying on the floor!
The next fight was between Random Dude Number Two against Flash! The fight was a little more exciting! Flash was swinging from side to side to avoid being hit by the punches of Number Two! Number Two was impressively putting pressure on Flash! He made a full swing to his head and Flash evaded it and made a full arc uppercut!
'Baam'
The match was over.
“FLASH IS THE WINNER!”
People got crazy while Flash raised his hands! Twilight was checking something on her phone.
Poor guy… She doesn’t care about your victory.
Now it was my turn against this Barrow Mint fellow. This should be painful if he manages to hit me.
“Nit!”
“Have any good strategy?”
“He looks like the hot-blooded type! Let him charge at you and try to connect a counter!”
“You know I don’t have your fighting abilities to manage a full, frontal assault!”
“But you have that weird sense of yours! Try to evade his punches and wait for the right moment to hit! If he grabs you, you lose! Understand?”
“Yes! I’ll be careful!”
“Good luck!”
She patted my shoulders once again and I walked straight to the center.
“Ready to lose, dude!?”
“I wish you the best of lucks!”
“You sound like a wimp!”
“READY! SET! GO!”
He swiftly closed to gap in distance between us! He quickly managed to connect a hit with his right and I briefly lost some of my balance! He didn’t waste time and proceeded to launch a cross punch to my left but I managed to avoid it just in time. Whether I’m crazy or I truly possess it, I love my sixth sense. The public that consisted of mostly young people encouraged us so we could fight at our best. I rather have them be quiet so I could think a strategy of sorts.
“You got lucky, pussy!” Said Barrow Mint.
…You are dead, son of a bitch!
He quickly rushed again towards me but instead of trying to run away, I rushed my way to him, closed the gap and mercilessly connected an uppercut. The guy fell to the floor in a bad position and the people got silent.
“BARROW MINT!” Yelled his friend with great worry.
I could hear the people whispering if he was okay… Uh, I better help him out. I took this guy to his friend and the people started to praise me again.
“NITPICK WINS! THE NEXT ONE WILL BE THE FINAL BATTLE!” Finally Said Applejack with a voice of relief.
The people got crazy with this announcement! As for me, I walked towards Gily who managed to get fresh water and an ice bag ready for me.
“You did goooood, my friend! I’m so proud of you right now!”
“Thanks, I have the best Cornerman in the world!”
“The next fight should be easier! But be careful nonetheless!”
We had a two minutes rest so we could catch our breath and as soon as the rest time was over, Flash and I were in the middle of the corral ring.
“Good luck, Nitpick!”
He stretched his arm and I was unsure if I should complete the hand-shake ritual. Before he could lower his hand, I completed the courtesy and I wished the best for both of us.
That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t bring him down.
“THIS IS IT, EVERYONE! THE FINAL BOUT! PLEASE GET READY TO FIGHT FAIR AND SQUARE! READY!”
Now I know that Flash wasn’t a total pushover so I need to step up my game.
“SET!”
I must take him down quickly.
“GO!”
In an instant, both of us were clashing our fists! Flash was surprisingly strong and quick! But I’m glad in a way this was the case! The cool guy must have more than looks for being considered like that! I tried to make compact punches to his stomach but he quickly blocked them away! I made a full swing and he parried it with both of his arms!
And then-
‘Slam’
The wood of the corral helped me to not touch the ground.
“Oh, that punch felt good…” I said somewhat dizzy.
“NIT! USE THE SHOULDER ROLL!”
Shoulder roll… my head! I can’t bitch right now! I must regain my ground. My right arm defending the torso and the left is put at the side of my head. I believe is like this.
“Ready or not, I’m coming for you Nitpick!”
Damn it! He is going for the gold! He rushed straight to me and so he can give an end to this!
“DON’T GIVE UP, NIT!”
Gily!
“YOU CAN DO IT, BASTARD!”
Zap?
“PLEASE DON’T LOSE! WIN AGAINST THAT DUMMY, NITPICK!”
TWILIGHT!?
“UH!”
Flash put his guard down after hearing the last cheer. This is my chance! But I can’t punch him like that! Gily would never forgive me!
“I’M YOUR OPPONENT HERE, REMEMBER!?”
He snapped back to reality and tried to put a defensive guard but since he is already aware of the fight!
‘Slam’
And he was down!
“OVER! IT’S OVER! NITPICK BITTERSWEET WINS THE FIST FIGHT COMPETITION!”
“YES!”
I quickly removed Flash from the ground and delivered him to his friends. He was really seeing the stars right now. Too bad, cool guy! Have you been more focused in our duel, I would have been in your shoes instead of you being like that!
“NOW NITPICK, PLEASE STEP FORWARD TO THE STAGE AND-“
“WAIT!”
That voice! It was Applejack’s cousin!
“I want to challenge you to a friendly match!”
“WHAT!?”
The people went wild with his declaration of challenge! Their fighting chants could be heard in the entire town! My sixth sense… I must decline.
“BUT COUSIN! HE ALREADY WON THE TORUNAMENT! IT WOULD BE UNFAIR IF HE LOSES RIGHT NOW!” Said a concerned Applejack.
“Come on, Nitpick fellow! Would you kindly accept my challenge?”
“Come here, Nit!”
I quickly got to the side of my Cornerman.
“Reject the challenge!”
“I didn’t think I would be hearing those words from your mouth!”
“I normally accept challenges but I know when something is beyond my reach! I also know your current limits and you are in no condition to fight that guy! I know you can notice he could crush you!”
Suddenly the megaphone was heard once again, but this time it was the cousin of the Apples.
“I DON’T WAN’ TO BE TROUBLE BUT IF THE WINNER AGREES, HE CAN HAVE MY SPARE TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS BUT IF HE LOSES, HE CAN KEEP HIS NORMAL TOURNAMENT PRIZE!”
“But he is tired from his previous fights! It’s a clear disadvantage against you!” Shouted Gily to my challenger.
“DON’T WORRY, SEÑORITA! I’M WELL AWARE OF THAT! I’LL HANDICAP MYSELF WITH SPARRING GLOVES THAT ARE FILLED WITH MORE SOFT COTTON THAN USUAL! THAT’LL REDUCE THE STRENGHT IN MY PUNCHES! I WON’T BE USING HEAD PROTECTION EITHER, ONLY THE MOUTH STUFF! ALSO, I’LL USE EXTRA WEIGHTS IN MY CHAPS TO MOVE SLOWER THAN BEFORE! I JUST WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME IN A FRIENDLY FIGHT!”
“Sounds fair to me… But still…”
“I’ll reject the challenge, Gily. Don’t worry!”
Granny Smith suddenly spoke through the megaphone.
“DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE APPLE WHISKY! IF YOU WIN, LAD! YOU’LL RECEIVE THIS BOTTLE OF GOLD BRAND APPLE STETSON ALCOHOL!”
“ALCHOHOL!?” Gily and I shouted in disbelief.
“GILY!”
“HE ACCEPTS”
What a fierce roar! People really want us to fight! We are like a circus! Everybody has fun when they are not the ones in danger. But that whisky will be ours!
“Okay, Nit! Peek-a-Boo style is your best bet! You aren’t the kind of people to manage a frontal assault so play safe by ducking his hits! Try to maneuver from a distance doing hit and run attacks!”
“If only your academic knowledge were as good as you’re with fighting knowledge”
“Shut up, little shit!”
“Do you think I can manage this?”
“He looks tough… I’m starting to regret the choice but there is not turning back, now! Try to not die there!”
She gave me a quick massage and made the final adjustments to my gear.
“Good luck, my friend!”
“I’ll be back before you know it!”
“Conscious, I hope.”
“ALRIGHT, EVERYONE!”
He and I approached to the middle of the ring. His gloves looked heavier but spongier than mine, his shotgun chaps had a weird set of weights similar to those that athletes use to train. His hat and coat were held firmly by Applebloom in the blue corner. That face of his told me that he really wanted to have a friendly match.
“Good luck, city folk!” Said Braeburn with real good intentions behind his words.
“Same to you.” I responded in kind.
“THIS WILL BE THE LAST FIGHT!”
“Did you enter this tournament for something special!?”
“IT’LL BE THREE ROUNDS WITH A TIME LIMIT OF THREE MINUTES! SO IT'S THE SAME RULES AS BEFORE!"
“Yes! I’ m doing this to win something special to me!”
“The señorita’s heart that was beside you?”
“KNOCK OUT OR BY POINTS IS THE WAY TO WIN!”
“No! She and I are like family! I’m fighting for something else!”
“READY!?”
“What is that if I may know?”
“SET!”
I pointed with my fist on the direction of Applejack! Besides her, my prize! The beautiful Lady Gold Brand Apple Stetson Whisky!
“That beautiful lady at the stage!”
His eye irises were opened with great amazement. Suddenly he made a serious expression.
“If that’s the case… THEN YOU’LL HAVE TO GET OVER ME FIRST!”
MY SIXTH SENSE!
“GO!”
Applejack fired the Starting Magnum!
‘BOOM’
I was nearly sent flying away from the place! Thanks to my sixth sense I was able to block in time! I could see it! A fierce horse in the form of a man was in front of me!
THOSE COTTON GLOVES OF HIS ARE USELESS WITH THAT KIND OF POWER!
Like a hose making an stampede, Braeburn suddenly charged with such power towards me and as I managed to avoid the hit, the fabric of wood met its demise against his mighty blow!
I’M GONNA DIE!
“NIT! KEEP YOUR DISTANCE!”
I took several steps backwards to keep a safe distance from him! Gily was right! I’m not the type of managing frontal attacks! But what surprised me the most it’s how he just lost his peaceful demeanor like that!
“Hey! Why are you angry all of the sudden!?”
“Angry!? No, partner! This is a test of manliness! Want to win the Lady? You’ll have to pass through me!”
“WHAT!? This is supposed to be a friendly competition!?”
“DO YOU REALLY WANT TO WIN THE LADY OR NOT!?”
I want that Apple Whisky!
“THE REWARD IS WORTH ALL THE RISK!”
“THEN FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!”
And he charged again with such brute force! I put all my weight and strength to my arms and legs to try to resist his inescapable fist!
‘BOOM’
He pushed me back to the wood corral! Such power! If he weren’t using his handicaps, I would be dead by now! I could hear some members of the Apple family being concerned with his relative! Mumbles of his unusual attitude were a major topic I could hear while I was trying to recover from the hit.
“I didn’t know that winning the lady would be a big deal…!” I said while talking to no one in particular.
“Only the manliest and dependable of outsiders can win a member from mah family! Outsiders need to show us their worth! Prepare to lose if you don’t fight with bravery!”
The spectators suddenly gasped with great surprise! This whisky must be really special!
“I’ll win and take the prize with me!”
More gaspings could be heard.
“You won’t take anything unless you put me down!”
Even stronger gasping’s could be heard.
“I’LL WIN THE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT BEAUTY OVER THERE!” Pointing out at the whisky’s directions.
Excited gasping’s from mostly female spectators could be heard this time.
“THEN I’LL TEST YOUR WORTH, PARTNER!”
I could see the shadow of death on him as he was quickly approaching me. In a moment of adrenaline, I too rushed against him and our fists met with a powerful sound! His might easily deflected my blow and I was completely open to his incoming blow!
I’M GONNA LOSE!
‘DU DUN DUN’
A bell sounded from the stage! I could see that the three minutes round came to an end! My mighty opponent went back to his corner and his family had prepared water and the likes for him. In the other hand, Gily was in my corner with more water and she hurried me to go quickly to her side.
“I’ll give you a quick shoulder massage! How do you feel?”
“My arms hurt like hell!”
“Dammit! This was a bad idea after all! What’s wrong with him? It’s just a fucking bottle of whisky!”
“Perhaps this whisky is for family members only!”
“This reminds me of the Motherland! Here, take some water! We have two minutes before the next round so relax a bit before the next round!”
“NITPICK!”
Twilight!
“Darling! Are you okay!?”
“He is fine! Don’t talk to him right now!” Said Gily annoyed.
“We came to see if he was hurt, Gilda!”
“Nobody asked you to come, Dash!”
“Nitpick! I didn’t know you were so brave to fight for something like that!” Asked Indigo Zap, the rest of my old schoolmates were here as well.
“Win this tournament, Champ! You belonged to Crystal Prep once so you must win this!” Said an encouraging Jet Set.
“I wish my rival the best of lucks!” Said Trenderfhoof with a perturbing and out-of-character, genuine support.
“That lady over there is worth the risk!” I pointed once again to the bottle of whisky.
“Darling! You are so romantic!”
“What the hell are you talking about, Rarity!? Never mind! Let me rest a little!”
“Nitpick!”
“…yes Twilight?”
“Win that cider! I tasted some of it and it was really good! No wonder you like it a lot!”
I couldn’t help but smile and give her a partial thumbs-up. The gloves were a little obtrusive to do a full sign.
“Watch me win this fight, Twilight! I’ll share the cider with you! Cornerman, what should I do?”
“The same tactic as before, but try to do the ‘hit’ part this time!”
“AH… LET THE SECOND… THE SECOND ROUND WILL START SOON!”
“What’s wrong with her? Is she okay? She looks like she has a fever!” I asked for her well-being.
“Oh, darling! She is just impressed with such a touching display of bravery from you!”
“Nit…” Whispered Gily. “Now I know why you keep calling her a drama queen during our chats about her! She is babbling nonsense!”
“Just wish me luck, Gilda!”
“Fight to the bitter end, friend!”
As I walked towards my opponent, the center of this ring felt more pressuring than before.
“Where is your mouthpiece, Braeburn!?”
“I don’t need it for this!”
“Do you… want me to remove my gear?”
“No! As I said before, it would be really unfair of me fighting against someone who already fought two times in less than an hour! I wish you luck!”
“Same to you…”
“LET THE SECOND ROUND BEGIN!”
As the Starting Magnum was shot, I quickly made several steps backwards but it was to no avail! Braeburn closed the distance every time I tried to gain some terrain in the fight.
‘Boom’
He managed to scratch my clothes with his fists tearing them apart. I could hear Rarity’s screams of horror with this event.
“DARLING! YOUR CLOTHES!”
I’M DYING OUT HERE AND YOU ARE WORRYING ABOUT MY CLOTHES!?
He rushed towards me and he made a full swing capable putting me down.
“NIT, NOW!”
I ducked my body and went straight to clash with his horns!
‘Bam’
“YES!”
I managed to duck his punch and hit him on the chin. He is dizzy, he is weak he is about to-!
‘BOOM’
“ARRRGGHHHH”
My arms hurt! I barely blocked in time! I felt warm around my nose…
“Uh… nosebleed…”
“That punch really hurt, city fellow! But you’ll have to do better than that!”
Damn it, he is unscratched!
“I’ll win this fight!”
“That’s the attitude! Here I come”
‘DU DUN DUN’
Saved by the bell, uh!?
“NIT! COME HERE QUICKLY!”
I walked faster than usual to Gily’s side.
“Are you okay? Where does it hurt?”
“My nose…”
She inspected my nose with her hands, carefully trying to not hurt me.
“Ufff… It’s just getting swollen but it’s not broken… yet.”
“What should I do?”
“You should throw the towel!”
A raspy voice was heard near us. It was from someone I didn’t believe would say that.
“…What did you say, Rainbow Dash?”
“You are hurt! It’s better to surrender and be happy you made your best effort!”
“That’s right, Nitpick!” Said Fluttershy. “You were doing great but this is not worth it! Applejack will understand if you give up!”
“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?” Complained Indigo Zap with total disagreement. “If he throws the towel like that, he would look totally uncool!”
“But he is getting hurt for no good reason! I love to win and I can understand why he is making this effort! But Applejack’s cousin is beyond his league! He is getting a hard beating!” Answered Rainbow with a sense of justification.
“Listen to me, Bittersweet! I hate you, but don’t dare to throw the towel like she is suggesting! Finish what you started and don’t bitch like a coward!”
“I didn’t think I would ever hear that from you, Dust! Nit, I believe the answer is clear!”
“Yeah! Please fix me up as best as you can!”
“ARE YOU CRAZY!? Don’t be silly, Nitpick! The reason you are fighting for isn’t worth the risk!”
“You are right, Dash! It’s not worth it… but you just gave me a reason to fight now”
“What?”
“Go get him, Nit!”
“Nitpick!”
“…yes, Twilight?”
“I know you can do it! But be careful, promise me!”
Twilight!
“Watch me win this thing! And I promise I'll be careful, don’t worry!”
“LET THE LAST ROUND BEGIN! GET INTO YOUR POSITIONS!”
Gily gave me a small pat in my shoulders and I walked straight to my doomsday of a rival. I was considering in throwing the towel, but after what Rainbow said, I just couldn’t do it anymore. She said the thing that a woman should never say to a motivated man! The thing that can hurt a man’s pride deeper than a knife stabbed straight to the heart.
To give up on something you want to do the most!
Forget the bottle! Forget reason! It’s true that you must walk away when something is impossible to do… But I’ll make the exception just this one! I want to protect my foolish pride against this impossible odd. Whether I win or lose, it doesn’t matter! I may lose the fight, but at least I’ll win the argument!
“Your eyes looks sharper, partner! Finally getting serious?”
“Yes! This about a man’s pride!”
“I praise your bravery! Thank you for this opportunity to express ourselves through our fists!”
“ALL RIGHT! THE LAST ROUND STARTS… NOW!”
The third and last shot from her magnum was heard! We charged against each other and we ended up in a weird hand lock position. The gloves didn’t allow us to clash appropriately and eventually his sheer strength won the exchange, hitting me in the face!
I sluggishly tried to maintain my posture after that hit but Braeburn just-!
‘BAAAAM’
…
…
Where am I? Why my face hurts so much? Am I on the floor? Why I don’t feel my mouthpiece? Why I feel my head lighter?
What happened?
I slowly started to hear screams of people. Some of them were calling up my name.
“NITPICK!? NITPICK!”
Gilda!
“GET UP! YOU CAN DO THIS, MAN!”
Flash!
“DON’T LOSE LIKE THIS!”
Zap!
“YOU CAN DO IT!”
Twilight!
I somehow snapped back to reality! The guy called Half Baked Apple was doing the referee job and counting the standard ten seconds count!
“ONE! TWO! THREE!”
Must stand up! But… urghhh, I can’t. It’s over…
“GET UP!”
Applejack?
“GET UP, PARTNER! I KNOW THAT MY COUSIN IS OLDER THAN YOU! STRONGER THAN YOU! FASTER, STURDY, RESPECTABLE AND SKILLFUL THAN YOU!”
SAY THAT HE IS ALSO GOOD-LOOKING, ALREADY!
“BUT SO YOU ARE IN YOUR OWN WAY, SO STAND UP!”
“Cousin!”
“EIGHT! NINE!”
“I’M STILL IN THE GAME!”
I firmly stood up! My sight locked to my opponent!
“If I had my hat right now… I totally approve of your courage to defend your pride and doing your best to impress a truly worthy woman!”
Impress a woman, you say?
“ARE YOU SAYING THE REASON WE ARE HAVING A SLUGFEST IS BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO IMPRESS A WOMAN!?”
“Wasn’t this the reason you are trying to win this!?” Said a confused Braeburn.
“NO! I’m sick and tired of hearing the guys I know that they want to impress a woman through a silly display of strength! It’s disrespectful to the girl! Women aren’t prizes to be won so you can show them off at your side! Women are people who decide to spend time with the one they choose as their loved one! And unless they are too innocent or extremely vain, doing a flashy display of senseless feats won’t ever impress a good woman in my humble opinion!”
I fiercely looked around to focus on Flash and later on Trenderhoof!
“What you should do is to man up, build a bridge of trust, ask with no bullshits attached to the lady of your dreams and accept the outcome like a man!”
I looked around to focus on Big Mac! In baby steps, he was opening his intentions with Cheerilee with genuine care and being subtle at it instead of trying to show off!
“But you want me to display some flashy nonsense, don’t you!? THEN I’LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT OF FLASHY NONSENSE!”
I focused my attention to the prize! Then I locked my eyes to Braeburns face while pointing my fist to the Apple Stetson Whisky!
“If I win, I’ll claim my chance to take a hold of her! And if Lady Luck denies me, I’ll walk away with no shame at all! So Braeburn! If you want to put me down, do it now!”
I slowly stepped forward to Braeburn! My face hurts, my legs are shaking but I won’t back down like an idiot after saying this.
Come on, Cowboy! Put me out of my misery...
Immediately, I came to a realization! He was puzzled by something while looking at me in a strange way! I noticed the sheer silence of the place and slowly looked at my surroundings to see a baffled public doing strange faces with their mouths open! The only one who was completely sane was Gily who just gave me the ‘I don’t know what’s going’ expression.
“Uh, Braeburn? Braeburn!? PAY ME ATTENTION, FUCKER!”
“Ah! What!?”
I don’t believe this!
“Don’t just stand there! Fight!”
With what remained of my strength, I managed to keep my fighting position! Here comes his blow!
“I give up!”
…
“Uh!?”
“Partner… I say I give up!” Said Braeburn with mixed feelings. “Cousin! He wins!”
He grabbed something from his pocket and it was the money he promised.
“After what we went through, it would be embarrassing to accept the money, so keep it.”
“UH… COME FOR YOUR PRIZE, SUGARCUBE!”
Sugarcube!? It doesn’t matter! I walked to Applejack’s side to receive my prize. Gily arrived there first and gave me back my coat and my hat. I was expecting for Rarity to start a rampage about wearing her crafting while I was dirty, but like the rest of the public, she was silent.
“What’s going on, Gilda?”
“I don’t know but it doesn’t matter! You are safe and thats good enough for me! And since he surrendered for whatever reason then the whisky is ours!”
“And the cider too!”
I climbed the stairs of the stage and soon I found myself in front of Applejack. Hiding part of her face behind that hat of hers, I started to speak to her so she could give me my just reward.
“I want to kindly ask for the goods. May I have the right for the goods?”
At last, noises were heard from the public! Whisperings full of excitement could be heard. Please Applejack, do this quickly!
“Shoot! … I don’t know if I can give you the goods like that! I mean… I just met you less than a month and… I-I…”
What the hell is going on with you? I just want the bottles of… I see! Finally everything is making clear sense to me! Her ashamed expression, his cousin acting like this! The bottle of Cider gave me the answer I was looking for!
In the side of the bottle, the name Applejack was written on it! The obvious conclusion is that Braeburn was trying to win her distant relatives heart and the bottle was a metaphor of it!
Heh Heh Heh heh! I’m such a slowpoke genius! I know what to do now!
“It’s okay, Applejack! I understand the situation!”
“You do?”
“Yes! Now I know that this cider with your name is beyond my reach so I won’t bother in trying to argue with it anymore!”
I grabbed the whisky and the Golden Brand Apple Cider.
“This is yours alone!”
I relinquished the bottle of cider to her and she nervously took it in her hand.
“I’ll take this whisky as my consolation prize! Oh! And one more thing!”
I got closer to her and I took off my hat and placed it on her head.
“I believe a hat like this suits you the most!”
And with that I joined up with Gily and walked away with the gold in my hands. Most of the Apple family members cheered and praise me with no end while we walked towards the exit!
"This is the Simon’s pure in a mans pride!"
“He accepted the mitten like a man!”
“You acted like a true Thoroughbred”
“What the hell are they saying, Nit?” Said a confused Gily.
“Just walk away! Remember that we are still underage and shouldn’t have this bottle with us!”
“Then let’s haste our steps and join with Grandpops at the exit!”
We reunited with Gily’s grandfather and by the looks of it, he won a lot of bets this day!
“Yee haw! I felt like a youngling again! I was drinking, dancing and this pretty lady was there and I invited her to dance and she accepted! Her name was Georgia or something like that but it doesn’t matter! I had a great time today!”
“Want to have a drink, Grandpops!?”
“WUUH! It’s that a bottle of whisky you have there?”
“Nit won it! We want to take a sip of it if you are okay with that!”
“If you give me most of the bottle then you can have a little sip!”
“Great! We got some plastic glasses so why don’t you take the first shot?”
I know what she was thinking! If he liked it, then most probably we’ll enjoy it as well.
“Put it in my flask! I never leave home without it!”
Gily slowly poured the golden liquid in his grandfather’s bottle and when it was about to brim from its new found contents, Grandpa Gruff slowly gulped down the whisky in his throat.
“Aahhhhh… This hits spot!”
“Well, my friend!” Said Gily while serving us the glasses of whisky. “This is for you, your wits and showing me why you are one of my best friends!”
“This is for you and for a coming, new opportunity for you to defeat Bon Bon!”
“Cheers!” We said in unison.
At last! Before we even were eighteen years old, we would enjoy this exquisite-
‘PLUAH’
“AAAAHHH!! It tastes horrible, Nit!”
“This is the legendary alcohol we were longing for? It tastes like piss!”
“You youngsters don’t know what the good stuff really is!” Said Gily’s grandfather in a scolding tone. “If you are going to waste this liquor, then give it to me instead!”
“Here you go, Grandpops! And take my glass while at it!”
“What a good granddaughter I have!” Happily said his grandfather while taking the bottle and glass with him.
“Good riddance! Give him the glass as well, Nit. He is going to enjoy it more than you!”
“No, Gilda! This is my consolation prize and I will swallow every single drop of it! I had the chance to get the real prize, the real Lady! But I couldn’t force her to give it to me when clearly she didn’t want to! This is for me, for winning the prize and letting it go!”
I swallowed in one shot all of the whisky, and with it, my stupidity!
“AARRRGGHHH! The bitter taste of defeat!”
“Defeat? Partner, you are a one of the most honorable man I have met! That’s a great victory in my books!”
That voice!
“Braeburn!?”
“I came here to look for you and ask forgiveness for my behavior! I want da’ best for my family and I put you in lots of troubles because of it! Part of me thought that you would be mad at her and cursing her name… but here you are, acting like a man during and out of the circus! I’m glad for having dueled with you!”
He closed the distance with me and rested his right arm in my shoulders.
“You know… The real reason I came here was to ask my cousin for some kind of fancy show I could do so I could ask a girl back in my town to marry me! She said she has friends who could help me in doing something flashy and nice to impress her! But then you spoke the truest words I ever heard in my life during our duel! I must impress the woman of my dreams with da’ quality of a true and dependable member of the Apple family, not like a one-trick, lousy pony! Even if you received the mitten from her, please be friend with my cousin! I assure you that you still have a chance! But if you fail, next time you’re in Appleloosa, I’ll introduce you to some pretty relatives that I’m sure they’ll like having a dance with you!”
He released me from his friendly hug and started walking to his family in the fair.
“Good luck in life, Nitpick Bittersweet! Until we meet again soon! YEE HAW!”
And he left, merging with the crowd until he couldn’t be seeing anymore. I could feel Gily resting her arms around me and finally speaking her mind.
“Nitpick… I’m starting to believe that he and us had in mind different Ladies during your duel.”
“Just… walk and let’s go home. I’ll take a cold shower and put some ice in my face so I don’t get a swollen face tomorrow.”
What a long day, lots of things happened in a single Saturday:
I tasted the horridness of alcohol.
I relinquished my right to the Gold Brand Apple Cider
I was beaten to a pulp by an overprotective cousin of the Apples.
I was annoyed to no end by guys with stupid reasons.
I was used as advertisement for fashion clothes.
I WORKED MY ASS FOR FREE, FOR FUCK’S SAKE!
But good things also happened.
I saw Big Mac enjoying the day with Cheerilee.
I spend time with some of my beloved friends.
I watched Twilight had fun like never before.
I knocked out Flash, Trenderhoof and the other guy.
I received tender concern from unexpected people in spite of my reckless behavior.
I got praised by strangers.
And finally, I found in my mind an unexpected thought…
… I had fun today.
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The fact that Nit was even MORE oblivious to what happened made me laugh my ass off this chapter. Good work man!
It seems Nitpick is as good with his words as he is with his fists.... if that makes any sense...
Yes I will do anything for the "Lady"...I'm Not Ashamed by my comment. Lol
6814409 Naw My Pony is Bipolar. he has many mood swings. And He's always tired He's like Sour Sweet. And his eyes always changes color depending on his mood. So prabably.