Conversations
The early morning air refreshed Big Mac as he walked out to the fields, content with his life. The farm was doing well financially, the crops were shaping up to be a full harvest, and his latest chapter of his nocturnal saga had left him in a good mood.
As he and his sister made their way out to the western field. Big Mac was completely oblivious to the magenta eyes that were desperately trying not to stare at his muscular physique while waiting for their targets to be out of the way.
Rainbow Dash finally determined that Big Mac and Applejack were far enough away from the farmhouse to not notice her intrusion, so she dove off of her cloud.
Once again, she crawled through Big Mac’s window, carefully avoiding the disruption of anything that might alert him to her presence. An accident almost rendered those precautions as moot; because, using light flaps of her wings to level herself, and keep herself steady, proved to keep her safe, until a stray gust caught the shade of Big Mac’s table lamp.
The lamp lost balance and proceeded to wobble, until it eventually toppled. All of Rainbow Dash’s athletic training piled together as she leapt to catch the fragile light fixture. Just before it hit the ground, her wings managed to stop the destructive descent.
Carefully she replaced the lamp, snagged the book out from under the bed, and took off out the window. As she soared through the sky, she let out a breath that she didn’t know she had been holding and adjusted the book in her possession.
Night had fallen on my ship and crew, the rest of the day passing uneventfully. The ship was now at three-fourths sail, and Schatzi was standing at the helm with Sea Dog sitting and wagging his tail happily at her side.
I went below decks and into the welcoming glow of the oil lamps. The crew had taken to gambling away their paychecks and any personal belongings to pass the time.
Several other games, ranging from Go Fish, to some diamond dog game that used two decks and three dice, were being played. Some of the games were still up in the air, some were clearly being dominated. Grog, for one was being thrashed in the game of Go Fish. Chance, the cheerful and friendly husky, on the other hand was chewing on a birch stick while raking in a pile of bits and gems. I also passed a game of poker that seemed to be dominated by Stitch, even with Smoky Mirror’s underhoofed dealings.
“So,” Rainbow pondered aloud, “Why is he chewing on a stick?”
After rereading the line, she realized, “Oh, he’s a dog, dogs like sticks, I got it. It’s a little vague though.”
As I ambled my way down the aisle of tables and games, I came across Cookie, Lumber Mill, Pointer, Daring Doo and a few of the other diamond dogs playing a game by the name of Lanterloo. I was unfamiliar with the way the game was played but was inexplicably drawn in.
“Hey, Captain!” Daring Doo called over to me from her chair, “Join us for a few games.”
I trotted over as well as I could and found a cushion to sit on. “Ah might later, but Ah think Ah’ll skip this round.” They were all fairly accepting of me as I joined them in their revelry.
I watched as they played. I picked up the rules fairly quick, and picked up how to cheat just as fast. Cookie always would always grab an extra card while exchanging his hoof; Lumber Mill somehow seemed to always have an extra card or two stored away in his tool belt, and Daring just had a good poker face.
Rounds passed, and money changed possession, and eventually stories started coming out. Daring Doo began with her adventures, sharing stories that were apparently slightly different from the books published about them.
Then the others joined in.
Lumber Mill began to share what had happened to him before joining the crew. Apparently, he had apprenticed Sandy Stains, one of the greatest carpenters in Canterlot. His apprenticeship brought him to the top of the chain of command in Sandy’s shop, right below the head carpenter himself. This success had taught Sandy to trust Lumber’s judgement, and leave him in charge of the wood shop on several occasions.
One day, while the shop was under Lumber’s leadership, somepony was staining a piece for Canterlot Castle. The piece itself was average, but its destination made it important. The stain was highly flammable, especially when being sprayed onto a large slab of wood.
Meanwhile, somepony else was planing down a large oak countertop, without permission. The job had to be done, but the shop was too small to have a separate room for staining. This lack of division meant that the staining and the planing were happening in the same room.
When the planer started up, so did the dust vacuum. This machine, designed to keep sawdust and wood chips out of the air, also sucked up the excess stain fumes. The magically fueled motor of the vacuum became hot, as it often did, and ignited the combination of stain fumes and sawdust.
“I have no idea what a planer is.” Rainbow remembered. “Do you, Tank?” She asked the tortoise that was happily buzzing around the room with his propeller system.
Tank didn’t respond, and instead slammed into a wall.
“I hurried to get all the workers out.” Lumber Mill choked out. “They were panicking as they tried to escape. It was my job to keep the shop running at peak capacity, but under my management it burned to the ground.” He finished with a defeated sigh.
The others at the card table, including myself, sat silent for a few moments until Daring Doo broke the silence.
“That doesn’t really seem like a reason to lose your job though…” She said, looking up from her cards. “I mean, it wasn’t really your fault.”
“Well, the shop completely closed down, and all of the other carpentry shops in the area had heard of the disaster, so nopony would hire me.” He said with a frown.
“That’s pretty rough.” Pointer said.
“Eeyup.” I agreed.
“Moi story eesn’t so bad.” Cookie spoke up with a nasally voice and an indiscernible accent. “Oi’m jus’ a fatty.”
“Hm,” Rainbow Dash hummed to herself, “well, at least he’s honest with himself.”
The chubby brown stallion continued, “Bein’ a chef, Oi wanted ta’ taste moi food, and Oi would keep tastin’ till Oi passed out.” He said with a blush.
Our company stared at him for a few moments until we burst out in laughter.
“Ah’d ‘preciate it if ya didn’t do that ‘ere.” I informed the chef. “We only got so much food.”
We continued to talk into the night, sharing stories of our pasts, the ones that we left behind. Some stories made us cry, some stories made us laugh.
Slowly as the night wore on, Daring Doo slid her pillow closer to mine, eventually placing it directly aside mine. I smiled slightly at the gesture, and allowed her to do what she wanted.
Those of us at the table chatted amongst ourselves, each one finding another that they could relate to. Strangely, I felt myself opening up to Daring Doo. She listened, she cared, she knew when to make light of a situation and when to be serious. She seemed to genuinely care about me, and I genuinely cared for her.
Rainbow Dash kept, unintentionally feeling like he wrote this for her. She kept thinking that she should be in Daring Doo’s place.
“Augh! Rainbow what are you thinking? You’re just getting a crush on the character, you don’t really even know Big Mac.” She took a few deep breaths and continued to read.
Much of the crew fell asleep in the belly of the ship. Some of them passed out from alcohol, while others were merely exhausted. Daring Doo appeared to be one of the latter, having fallen asleep leaning against my side, the game she was playing and the bits she had won completely forgotten, as our companions had left us to each other’s company. I had just awoken and managed to get into a more semi-comfortable sleeping position as I heard the soft padding of paws walking down the creaky steps into the galley.
I looked up to see the helmsdog plodding down the stairs.
“Ms. Schatzi.” I said with a nod of my head, as her eyes located me.
“Ah, Cap’n,” She said quietly, noting the sleeping mare at my side. “Baltimare be on tha horizon.”
“Thank ya kindly.” I thought quickly about the best course of action and decided. “Drop anchor, an’ git some sleep. Tomorrow we dock.” She nodded and bounded up on deck.
I looked back to the tan mare beside me, her hat laying on the ground beside her and her hair covering her face, and I smiled at the sight. “Miss. Doo, git up.” I said lightly nudging her.
She readjusted, contendedly murmuring something in her sleep. I just smiled and picked her up, not wanting to disturb her rest. Having her laid gently across my back, I began my trek to the Captain’s Quarters.
On deck I saw Schatzi and Sea Dog holding paws and staring over the water at the moon, which hung just over the dimly-lit city on the horizon. The soft moonlight silhouetting them made the perfect picture with the perfect backdrop, and I couldn’t help but smile.
I stepped into my cabin, where I slid the sleeping mare into my hammock, and tucked her in. She nestled in snugly and drifted back off to a still, quiet sleep.
I removed my cape, hat, belt, and leg before grabbing a roll-up sleeping mat and some blankets and bedding myself down for the night.
“Aww.” Rainbow Dash cooed, “He gave up his bed for her.”
Then she realized how un-cool cooing is and glanced around to be sure nopony heard her do that.
As I drifted off to sleep, I looked out of the large window at the back of my cabin, and saw the majestic impression of Princess Luna on the full moon. I could almost swear that I saw her image smile as I drifted off to sleep.
“Hmm, the Luna thing is weird, but whatever.” Rainbow said, as she closed the book for the time being. She then glanced at her calendar to check the date, and noticed something important.
“Oh, no.” She groaned. “It’s girl’s night at the Spa.”
Rainbow loved to hang out with her friends, but the spa was just too much touching for her. She didn’t like massages, because they felt too intimate. She didn’t like hooficures, because the feeling of other ponies touching her hooves creeped her out (plus the hoof separator/drying rack things that they put you in were restricting and weird).
“Ugh, I need to find an excuse to get out of it.” She mumbled to herself as she gathered the book and took off out her window.
Big Mac was hauling another cart through the fields, the baskets full of apples adjusting as the cart bounced down the path. He had worked these fields enough to navigate them simply by touch.
Big Mac; however, preferred to navigate by the treetops. Certain trees had specific knots and branches that were easily noticed and adjusted for by the farmer. He navigated this way, because of the freedom it gave him from the ground, something that he found himself wishing for on occasion.
Big Mac loved his landlocked life, but sometimes he wished that he could fly. Many of the pegasi took their flight for granted, not realizing how blessed they were, but there was at least one that truly knew what they had.
That filly, Rainbow Dash, was always flying overhead. The flight that she was capable of was what she lived for.
Big Mac didn’t like to watch the sky specifically, he liked to watch the fantastic, multihued flight show that took place almost every day.
Today was no exception.
The pony he was watching appeared to be on a mission, having a specific purpose for her visit, but not forgetting the wild freedom that came with her dominance of the sky. Eventually, she seemed to be satisfied with her task and corkscrewed out from overhead.
Macintosh Apple watched her pass out of sight and sighed wistfully after the freedom and more-so the mare that symbolized it.
The day had progressed and Rainbow still didn’t have an official excuse to get out of Spa night, but that wouldn’t stop her from making something up on her way to the meeting point at Sweet Apple Acres.
“Hey, girls.” She said, as she landed just outside of the group of five mares that made up her closest friends. “Sorry, I can’t come. I just remembered that I promised Scootaloo that I would give her flying lessons today.” She said with a sheepish smile.
A chorus of ‘Awww’s rang out from her friends.
“Well… that’s ok Rainbow.” Twilight, the organized brainiac of the group tried to comfort her. “I’m sure that Scootaloo wants to see you as much as we do, and goodness knows how much she needs some stability in her life.”
“Now hold on just a cottonpickin’ minute…” Applejack started, noticing something wrong about her friend’s story.
“Nonono,” Rainbow cut her off, determined to stay out of the spa. “You girls go on ahead, I’ll catch up with you another time.”
The glamorous Rarity decided to chime in with, “Sadly, I must agree with Rainbow, as I have rented out the spa and it is waiting for us.”
With that, the five mares left, leaving Rainbow Dash mostly alone.
“Ah ain’t quite sure what that was, but Ah’m pretty sure it ain’t the truth, Miss Dash.” A deep voice came from the barn and caused her to jump.
“Oh, Big Mac, it’s just you.” She said to the large red stallion walking out of the barn. “And what was that about it not being the truth.” She accused him.
“Well, Miss Dash,” He started, “Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo are havin’ a campout in their clubhouse, n’ Ah’m in charge of ‘em fer tha night.” He said, “So, unless Scootaloo fergot ‘bout her chance ta spend time with her idol, Ah think yer lyin’.” He finished, as he placed a bundle of firewood in his cart beside some cooking gear and lanterns.
Rainbow laughed nervously, not seeing a way to get out of the impending conversation. “Well, you see…” She said, trying to come up with something. “It turns out that I kinda…”
“Don’t like the Spa?” Big Mac finished, with a small smile.
“Yeah.” She said, hanging her head.
“Ah can see why.” He said, drawing her attention.
“What do you mean? Huh?” She said, defensively, “Am I not girly enough for the spa?”
Big Mac laughed, confusing her. “That ain’t it. Ya just don’t seem like ya could hold still long enough for a massage.” He tossed a couple of logs, used for makeshift chairs, into the cart. “If it makes ya feel any better, Spas always creeped me out.”
A spark of hope welled up in Rainbow Dash’s chest. “Too much physical contact from ponies you don’t know?”
“Eeyup,” He nodded with a small smile, “And it smells weird.”
“Haha!” Rainbow chuckled at his thoughts on the spa, that were strikingly similar to her own.
“So, what’re ya gonna do, Miss Dash?” He asked her, genuinely curious of her circumstances.
“First don’t call me ‘Miss Dash’ it makes me feel like an old teacher or something. And second, well, I don’t really know what I’ll do. I will probably just go home and read some Daring Doo, or something.” She said with a shrug.
Big Mac had completely stopped what he was doing, his eyes were wide, and his mouth was open slightly. “Read what?” He managed to ask weakly.
Something was wrong, he had completely nailed Daring Doo’s personality in his book, and didn’t seem to know that she was a thing. “Uh, you know, Daring Doo? explorer extraordinaire, valiant venturer? Daring Doo?” She said, trying to jog his memory.
He continued to stare at her with disbelief painted across his face. “That’s weird…” He mumbled to himself. “Well,” He announced, beginning to shuffle uncomfortably. “Ah’ve never read any of her books, but they sound mighty interestin’, so if ya want, ya can help me with the Crusaders and tell me some…” He offered.
Rainbow’s heart leapt, overflowing with excitement that she was having a hard time containing. “Yeah! Uh, I mean, can’t you handle three little fillies by yourself?” She tried to cover her excitement to spend some time with her best friend’s brother.
“Ah need all the help Ah can git, those thee fillies are more trouble n’ a sack of rattlers.” He muttered while harnessing himself up to the cart full of camping supplies.
“Haha, alright Mac, I’ll help you take care of some tiny, little, kids.” She said condescendingly, while fluttering lightly down onto the cart.
As Big Mac took off for the CMC clubhouse, the two ponies both took their opportunities to wear a big goofy smile about the ability to spend some time with the other.
As Mac walked, Rainbow Dash told him all about Daring Doo’s adventures. Rainbow’s storytelling style; however, did not lend itself to being stationary, so she ended up hovering beside him, making wild gestures with her hooves, and zooming around when it was appropriate. Big Mac smiled and listened closely, always intent on what she was saying, and reacting according to the story.
Big Mac taught the Crusaders how to tie knots and start fires; although, he did the second merely by demonstration, as the first had resulted in three momentarily incapacitated little ponies. Rainbow Dash regaled them with her own stories, and some from Daring Doo.
Eventually, the two camp instructors tried their hooves at cooking dinner for their campers, as the little ones did whatever it is that they did. Rainbow’s chili was bland and slightly overcooked, but Big Mac’s cornbread definitely made up for it.
“How do you even make cornbread over the fire?” Rainbow asked through a mouthful of the delicious baked good. “And how did you make it so good?”
He just smiled, “Ole’ family recipe.”
“You have a lot of those don’t you?” Rainbow Dash asked, to which she received a nod from the stallion and his little sister. Rainbow just rolled her eyes. “Well, if they all taste this good, I could stand being family.”
An awkward silence descended upon the two adults as the fillies chatted around mouthfuls of s’more.
“Anyways,” Big Mac tried to break the silence between them, “You got any more stories, ‘bout yer flight school?”
With the awkwardness staved off for the moment, they continued to chat into the night. Eventually, Rainbow managed to coax some of his bullfighting stories. She sat with rapt attention, late into the night as her companion humored her with the stories of his great feats.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were fast asleep by the time exhaustion hit Rainbow Dash. Big Mac had just finished the story of his last bullfighting tournament, when her eyes began to droop and she let out a yawn.
“Do ya want ta hit the hay, Rainbow?” Big Mac asked her. “Ah can take ya somewhere if ya like.”
“Nah, I can make it home.” She said, as she stretched her legs and wings, “But thanks for the offer. You know? I had a real nice time tonight.”
Just as she was getting ready to take off, Mac said, “Ya know, yer friends do this once a month.” Referencing the spa day, “If ya want, we could do this again.”
“Haha! We’ll see.” Rainbow responded, “This was so much more fun than gossiping at the spa.”
She then took off into the sky, leaving a pale rainbow in the white light of the moon.
“Did Big Mac ask me on another date?” Rainbow pondered on her way home, then a similar question popped into her mind.
“Did I just go on a date with Big Mac?”
Big Mac watched the colorful mare disappear over the treetops.
He sighed.
The butterflies in his stomach were still going strong, their incessant presence almost making him sick. All of this; however, was just background noise to his night spend with Rainbow Dash. He felt himself opening up to Rainbow Dash. She listened, she cared, she knew when to make light of a situation and when to be serious. She seemed to genuinely care about him, and he genuinely cared for her.
Something seemed familiar about that, but there was something more important on his mind at the moment, than where he had heard that before.
“Did Ah just have a date with Rainbow Dash? And did Ah ask her on another one?”
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And that may be the only reason Rainbow hasn't guessed Mac's "secret" crush.
AWWWWW
Spoken like a true writer.
(Not that your not) We all have times like that and it usually means that the chapter will end up good.
This is such a case, it was great to read.
It was funny both being so clueless about each other.
It was almost like the dream journal was meant to bring them together.
I could only guess that Daring Do represent Rainbow Dash and Of course Captain Macintosh is Big Mac.
Still I wounder what's going to happen to the two worlds and how they are going to interact more?
Well good luck in the future and I hope all will go well.
I hope to see more in the future.
How so you make cornbread over a fire?
This is a excellent story, if I do say so myself,
2118706 I wanna know that too.
2118706 use a dutch oven, (not trapping someone in their own butt gasses
) it's like a big cast-iron pot. put it over hot coals, and put more on the lid, and, blam, you've got yourself a very good baking system. 
2118706 2119099>>2119079 it's like cooking damper over the fire. (Damper for the non-Ozzies is bead that doesn't rise)
2119099 sweet
2119079 What he 2119099 said
2119099 Awesome.
blog.stamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/free_shipping4.jpg
SO GOOD!
2120379
bead?? what is the bead you speak of?
I know damper is a type of bread
Hmmm... He's never read a Daring Do before? The plot thickens alongside the romance.
Continuing on!
~Skeeter The Lurker
this is getting tense